Charlotte
by The Hope Lions
Summary: Sam, Dean, and Cas's lives were just starting to get back to normal. Or as normal as it ever is a hunter when they meet Charlotte Morganstern, a young girl who turns out to be the Prophet, and the most dangerous girl in creation.
1. Chapter 1

Hello. I'm back. I know, you probably wondering why I'm writing another story when i haven't finished the others. The answer is i have inspiration for Supernatural, but not for the others. Also note I DO NOT OWN SUPERNATURAL OR ANY OF HER WONDERFUL CHARACTERS. Also note I haven't finished the series. I've seen all of season 4 and 5 most of 1 and 2 and 6 and 7 but not everything. This means I will make mistakes, and for that I'm sorry. If you see a mistake please tell me and I'll fix it best I can or decide in this AU that whatever is wrong happened differently. By the time I finish this I'll probably have finished the show... but there are a lot of episodes and I just started high school so I don't have as much time as I did before. Well, I'll stop rambling I guess and get on with this. This is the story of Charlotte Morganstern taking place a little while in the future after season 8 when everything is "back to normal" aka Sam, Dean, and Cas aren't dead or in Hell and there is no looming danger. Cas is hunting with Sam and Dean as a human, but with angel knowledge.

* * *

Chapter 1

"I think this is one of ours," Sam told Cas and Dean laying the paper down on the table with their lunch. "A 15 year old girl on Cape Cod Massachusetts is in the psych ward at a local hospital after she was found burnt to hell in her house with her mom in pieces around her."

"So a teenage chick went off her rocker and killed her mom. Not pleasant but what makes you think there's something to hunt?" Dean asked biting into his bacon cheddar burger like he wasn't listening to the story of a woman ripped to shreds.

"Well, for starters police have no idea how her mom died, but it appears she was ripped apart from the inside."

"No girl can do that? Why she in lock up?" Dean asked mouth full.

"I believe you're supposed to swallow before speaking," Cas told Dean. Even after all his time as a human he still didn't understand the things Dean did.

"She's in lock up because she swears her mom burnt her with holy water."

"She's a demon? That doesn't make sense no demon would stay in their meat suit and let themselves get burnt and locked up," Dean reminded them suddenly interested.

"That's what I'm thinking. It might just be a story, you should see the local newspaper it's less factual than people magazine. Still, we've checked out less." Sam reminded them and Dean shrugged grabbing his keys from the table.

"I've always wanted to go to the Cape. Maybe we can stop by the vineyard and meet Jaws."

"I don't understand. Why would there be a jaw in a vineyard?" Castiel asked confusion lining his faces. Dean smacked his shoulder promising to explain on the way.

"What's the girls name by the way?" Dean asked as the three of them pulled over the Rhode Island Massachusetts border.

"Charlie Morganstern." Sam replied cooly. Castiel's eyebrows rose quickly and surprise marked his face.

"Charlotte Morganstern?" he asked worry lacing his voice.

"Yeah I think Charlie is a nickname. Why? She a demon you know?" Dean asked worried about what they were getting into. If Cas had heard of a demon then that meant trouble. Any demon meant trouble.

"Not a demon. I know how her mom ended up in a million pieces. She was ripped apart by an an angel. An Archangel," Cas told them grimising.

"She's not," Dean groaned.

"She's a prophet of the Lord." Cas looked even less thrilled than the Winchesters. None of them liked the idea of dealing with another prophet.

"Wait, that's not even possible. We know all of this generation's prophets, and she's not on of them," Sam told them confused.

"Not exactly. You've met all the prophets Samandiriel knew of. He wouldn't have known of Charlotte. I only learnt of her when I took over Heaven. She's a prophet, but not exactly. She's THE Prophet. She can't be deactivated so she's still active when the other prophet are too. And she doesn't have on Archangel protecting her, she has all of them. Or well all of them that aren't in the cage or dead. The two of you have gotten rid of 4 of the 8 which leaves the prophets open for attack, like we learnt with Kevin. It doesn't matter Charlotte is the Prophet, she doesn't just hear God, she can speak to him. I'm the only non-archangel who knows of her. Or I was. The demons must though if they attacked her."

"That's comforting. We've got a prophet who's not a prophet. And to make it better the demons, who are always the bad guys, know about her, while the angels, who are only usually bad, don't know she exists. Come on, I'm turning this car around we can hunt something else. I'm done with prophets." Dean told them making a u-turn.

Fast as lighting Cas reached from the back of the Impala and jerked the wheel back almost flipping the '67 car. "We're going to Cape Cod and we're finding Charlotte. She'll mean trouble for us if we find her yes, but she'll be trouble for the entire world if we don't. She's dangerous in the wrong hands. She's the ultimate weapon."

"She's just a kid," Sam told them gripping the leather seat tightly, " how can she be so dangerous. What does she know?"

"Did you not hear me. She speaks to God. She could find him if she wanted to. And she's more than that. I didn't take the time when I had the souls to look into her, I just heard her in my mind as she tried to speak to the real God. Still, she's different. I could tell. We're going to Cape Cod and saving this girl before we have to stop the end of the world, again." Cas told them clearly ready to fight if necessary. He was hiding the truth from them, they didn't need to know why Charlie was so dangerous, just that she was.

"Fine. Off we go to Old Cape Cod." Dean told them annoyed with getting himself into trouble, again. Simple, all he wanted was some simple hunts, like how it was in the beginning. Before Azazel, before Lilith, before Hell, before Lucifer, before the Leviathans. Simple hunts. Wendego and such, easy.

Sam sat back in his seat,"We needed a little fun anyways. I was starting to get bored."


	2. Chapter 2

Guys, I think I might be missing my soul. I watched Dean go to Hell and only cried for 10 minutes!

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Chapter 2

"And who did you say you were again?" the plump nurse asked as she led Cas and the Winchesters to Charlotte's room.

"We're from Social Services. We need to discuss what Charlotte's plan is when she gets better, " Dean told her formally straightening his tie as he walked.

The nurse chucked, "I doubt that will be any time soon. She went through some serious trauma when her mama set her on fire. Poor kid. What kind of mother would do that to her kid. My daughter goes to school with Charlie and I knew her mom well. It is just so hard to believe."

"It's very sad, " Sam commented as they arrived at Charlotte's room. "Do you think you could give us some time alone with Charlotte. It's better that way."

"Sure, I guess that's fine," the nurse spun to walk away. "But don't call her anything but Charlie to her face or she might just kill you."

Dean really hoped the nurse was joking as he opened the doors, but the look on Castiel's face made him wonder if Charlotte was capable of just that. He didn't understand why she was so dangerous, besides the fact she had archangel looking after her, but Cas was afraid of her so Charlotte, Charlie, must be trouble.

Charlie lay on a bed eyes shut and body withered. Her week old burns were healing, but she similarly looked like she hadn't eaten in all that time. IV's taped to her arm provided her with the fluids to live, but from the looks of it Charlie was just clinging to life by a thread. What was wrong with this girl.

"I know who you are." She spoke eyes still shut, "You're here to kill me aren't you. Well you're too late, this hospital is doing that for you."

"We're not here to hurt you Charlie. We're here to help. I'm Castiel."

"I told you, I know who you are. We spoke once, or I spoke to you and you told me God was gone and not coming back. That you were God. You're human now Castiel though so I'm guessing being God didn't work out all that well for you." Dean couldn't help but be impressed by the teenage girl who was using all her strength to be witty when she was clearly terrified.

"We honestly don't want to hurt you. We want to help you however we can. Cas here says you're a prophet. You speak to God. That's very cool." Sam told the girl moving close enough she finally opened her blue eyes.

"It's not cool, and I don't speak to him anymore. Let's not talk about Father. Dean wants to kill me because I'm dangerous. You don't even know how dangerous I am. And as soon as they take this infernal IV out and stop pumping salt into my system I'll leave and you'll never see me again."

Dean, seeing the pain the young girl was in, walked towards the IV, "I'll take this out. But you have to promise not to disappear. I don't want you dead, not anymore. You haven't hurt anyone yet and it would be wrong to punish you because you could hurt someone."

"Dean don't," Cas told him knocking Dean's hand from the IV. "She'll teleport to the other side of the country as soon as the salt is out of her. We need to talk to her and we can't do that if she's in Greece."

"But it's hurting her. She's just a kid and it's killing her!" Sam protested fury lining his words.

"She's not kid, not really. It's salt hurting her Sam, do you know why salt hurts her?" Cas's cool voice infuriated the boys even more than his words. "She's a demon."

"Don't lie to them Castiel. That worked out SO well last time. I'm not a demon. Not really. Sam here knows what i mean," Charlie told them with a wink.

"She's a special child? She's one of Azazel's kids? She's drunk demon blood?" Sam asked sympathy and understanding flooding. "But I'm not hurt by holy water or salt. Why is she?"

"I have a bit more blood than you Sammy boy. You drunk a little, or a lot by the end but God got rid of that for you. I was human for a long time, pure human for over 11 years. I was NORMAL. Then, I was kidnapped by some madman. Still don't know who they were. They injected me with blood, demon blood. It pumps through my veins now years later more than yours the night you freed Lucifer by killing Lilith. There's not much human left in me, but plenty of demon for salt to burn my insides. NOW GET THIS OUT OF ME! PLEASE!" Tears streamed down the girl's pale cheeks, but disgust filled Dean. Sam was a freak, but he was human enough not to be effected by those things that hurt demons. This girl was so close to being a demon she's probably need her own meat suit soon.

Sam however, could relate. He knew what it was like to have demon blood forced into you giving you powers you don't want. He quickly ripped the IV from Charlie's arm and she sat gasping for air but freed from pain, "Thank you." She whispered before disappearing.

"Now look what you've done! She's gone. If the demons find her they'll use her more than Azazel or Ruby ever used you. We should have killed her well we had the chance!" Dean cried.

"It wouldn't have worked anyways. One of the archangels would have stopped you. I'm surprised they even let the hospital staff live after giving her all that salt. It burnt her from the inside out." Cas told him looking out the window. "It's first floor. We're going to have to climb out or we'll have to explain where she went."

"Great. Now we're kidnappers too." Sam muttered just as Dean asked,

"How is she even a prophet if she has so much demon blood in her? Why would God or whoever chooses the prophets chose her? They made a demon have God's number?"

"You heard her. She was human first. She was a prophet first too. Whoever injected her probably did so because she was a prophet. Though I still don't know how they found her and how the archangels didn't stop it."

"I have a theory," Sam suggested as they walked back towards the Impala waiting for the hospital alarms to flair. "She said it was done to her about 5 years ago. Do you know what happened 4 years ago?"

"Sh*t." Dean swore, "You're saying this happened while you were freeing Lucifer from Hell and I was trapped in that green space?"

"It would make sense," Cas agreed. "Every angel, archangel in particular, was watching to make sure everything went as plan. No one would have been watching her."

"Great. Another life I ruined," Sam muttered old guilt hitting him just as the hospital alarms broke into a screech.

"Come on. I have an idea on how we can find her," Castiel told them running towards the trusty black Impala.


	3. Chapter 3

I have a question for you guys. Now I'm writing this with little detail but a lot of dialogue like an episode. Do you guys like it like this middle ground or would you like it in script format or book format? Comment with your opinions because I can do any and want to know what you like best.

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Chapter 3

"Anything else we should know about her?" Dean asked hands gripping the steering wheel tight. "Besides the fact she's pumping with enough demon blood to make Sam's stint look harmless."

"You didn't need to know," Cas told them quietly not believing his own words. For all they knew the demons already had Charlie because she'd gotten away from them.

"Well, now we're involved Cas so we do need to know. Everything." Sam told him. Sam didn't know how he felt about the girl. She had demon blood like him, and he knew how hard that could be, but something about Charlotte felt different than the other special children. They always felt normal, human. Charlie set off his spider senses for a monster. She's just not a teenage girl, or a human one at least. She hasn't killed, but there was no doubt in her mind that she'd be as dangerous as any monster they'd ever fought. If it came to fighting the terrified girl.

"It's not just demon blood," Cas confessed after an eternity of considering what to say.

"What?" the Winchesters asked simultaneously.

"She wasn't just infected with demon blood. She has other things in her too. And it's not just a little bit of blood, whoever did this to her drained her of human blood before injecting her with the new blood. Like a transfusion."

"What does she have in her?" a startled Sam asked.

"Demon, shape shifter, vampire, human and... angel." Cas spoke the last word almost silently, but loud enough for both the brother's to swear. Fighting any of the first 3 monsters was hard enough, but fighting an angel is practically impossible. Angels were some of the most powerful beings out there, if not the most powerful beings.

"So she can basically do anything? She doesn't need an archangel to protect her she's practically invincible! No, I'm sorry Cas. We're not dealing with this. I'm tired of end-of-the-world and that's what this girl will cause." Dean told his adopted-brother.

"She's not invincible though. Silver, iron, holy water, salt, it all burns her. And she can die just as well as any human. If it hurts one of the things in her, it will hurt her. She's powerful, but not invincible. That doesn't matter anyways Dean because we're not fighting her! I'm going to find her and stop her before the world ends and you're going to help me or the second Apocalypse will be on your conscience more than the original!" Castiel might be human now, but his steady tone held to power of the avenging angel he once was.

"Would she do that? Everything I've dug up on her says she was a nice kid. Why would she want the world to end?" Sam inquired to Cas. He didn't agree with Dean that they should run from Charlie, but he also wasn't sure he wanted to go with Cas and get killed by this girl. He'd died enough times thank-you-very-much.

"Not on purpose. But if we don't stop her she might accidentally. She could open the cage do you understand that. Do you remember how bad it was last time Lucifer was free? And this time he won't be looking for Sam as a meat suit because he didn't break the seal. Charlie would be his vessel. Do you want him in one of the most powerful bodies alive?"

Fear gripped the boys as they tried to imagine Lucifer free and in the body of someone with that much power. The end would be quick, that was for sure.

"Why would she open the cage? What would she get from that. Does she want the world to end? Don't tell me she believes ending the world would bring her Father back because I'm done with Him," Dean complained

"I told you. She knows where He is and could bring him back without ending the world. She's not evil, she doesn't want the world to end. But Lucifer isn't the only one in the cage and she doesn't know he's in there."

"She's going after Michael?" Sam scoffed. "Why would she want him free?"

"I told you she has angel blood in her. Whoever injected her somehow got Archangel blood. Michael's blood. In her mind he's her father. His blood runs through her veins. She's got no family, nobody. In her mind going after her angel dad is better than going after the shape shifter or vampire or worse demon. She doesn't know Lucifer is locked in the cage with Michael she just knows you two put her dad in the pits of Hell and that she can free him."

"But you can't just walk into the Cage and walk through the door!" Sam protested, " You could only do it jacked up on souls and if Crowley was lying about pulling me out it's probably because he couldn't get in there unless a deal was made. You think this teenage girl could walk into Hell and pull Michael from the cage? That's ridiculous."

"Sam. Dean. This little girl would have an escort to the Cage. Her demon father is powerful. He's the one Crowley overthrew to get to King of Hell status. Prince Vassago they called him. I don't know where he is, probably locked in a cage of his own, but he has followers everywhere. As soon as she wants they will find her and protect her from Crowley's guys as she opens the cage freeing Lucifer and Michael, neither of whom would be very happy to find you alive. If you won't find her to protect earth do it to save your own butts. They don't need you anymore, either of them and they would probably work together to kill you before turning on each other and destroying everything. "

"So once again it's up to the Winchester's to save everyone's sorry *ss's. Okay Cas. Where can we find this chick?" Dean caved hoping that maybe this would be the last time they'd face the Apocalypse one way or another.

"You're a teenage girl who can teleport and trusts one person on this planet, God, but doesn't want to see him. Where would you go?" Cas asked them smiling grimly.

"Yippe. Let's get out these passports we're going to Jerusalem."


	4. Chapter 4

I've been reading that end of season 8 says there are no more angels...if your curious in this something reversed that...

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Chapter 4

"Do you know what the worst part of flying is?" Dean complained as they walked from the airport. "Not the fact that planes crash, but the fact we land without weapons! If something attacked us we'd be useless!"

"We're on land now get over it Dean. Come on, I have an idea where she'll be," Cas told them as he called a taxi to take them to the location of the old temple of Jerusalem.

Cas was right, they could see the pale outline of Charlie's brown hair blowing in the wind as she held her knees curled up arms around them. She sat on the floor as tourists went around taking pictures of the holy ground.

"I always found it weird that holy water hurt me, but not consecrated ground." Charlotte's voice floated behind her without her even turning around to see Cas and the Winchesters.

"You're a prophet of the Lord, Holy Ground wouldn't hurt you if you were a full demon. It's practically your home," Cas told her reverently clearly harboring respect for the prophet despite her dangerous nature.

"Walk with me," Charlie told them standing and walking from the Temple sight into the busy Israeli city. Unsure what else to do the others followed behind her as she led them up to the top of one of Jerusalem's many hills in silence. Upon arrival Charlie sat on the green grass looking peaceful, and fully healed from her salt and holy water encounter. "Raguel, the archangel, healed me of my wounds. He was unable to reach me in the hospital because someone warded my door from angels. Even I wouldn't have been able to walk out of it. Luckily, I don't need to walk."

"Why did you come here? There are plenty of holy places in the US. Why jump across seas into a war zone?" Dean asked standing cautiously away from the girl whom he didn't trust a lick.

"I can speak to the Father, but I can not make him speak back to me. I hadn't heard from him since I was injected with demon blood. I didn't even think I could still talk to him, that I was still a Prophet until the archangels killed my mom when she rightfully attacked me for being a demon. I thought I'd go and find him."

"Wait, God is here? In Jerusalem?" Cas asked quickly unable to believe the girls words. He'd known he'd taken human form on earth and was giving his angels the free will they'd lacked when he was in Heaven, but he never imagined he'd be in Jerusalem of all places.

Charlie nodded, "Yes, He's how I knew you were coming. He left just as you arrived. He told me to give this back to you and to tell you there is a reason he keeps bringing Castiel back so quit your moaning about being an unloved child." Charlie unfolded her hand and Dean saw the little pendent he dropped in a motel trash bin years before when Cas' search for God turned up with nothing. He'd been so angry at God for leaving them that he didn't want the charm as a reminder of him, but Dean was glad to have it back. Sam gave it to him, and Bobby gave it to Sam. With Bobby gone it was good to have the little necklace as a reminder of the good times, even if it also reminded him of the bad.

Cas seemed frightened to find that it was in fact God who'd brought him back all three times he'd died. God wanted him alive he was God's gift to the Winchesters, and as glad as he was to be alive and with his friends, he also didn't like the idea that God cared what happened to him when he didn't seem to care about what happened to the world.

"Charlie, you're not planning on opening the Cage right. You can't imagine what it's like in there. It's Hell in Hell," Sam prompted the real discussion.

"Then why did you throw my dad in there?" Charlie asked flinging Sam to the side in anger. Dean jumped forward to attack her, but Cas stopped him before Charlie could hurt him too.

"We didn't put Michael in the Cage. He fell in after Lucifer," Dean protested.

"Only because you were a selfish d*ck and wouldn't s*ck it up and face your responsibilities as a vessel! Adam wasn't powerful enough to stop Lucifer, Michael wasn't powerful enough to stop Lucifer in Adam!"

"It doesn't matter what happens. I'd love it for Adam to be freed from the cage and Michael, d*ck as he is doesn't deserve to be stuck down there either, but opening the cage will just mean Lucifer is free again and then it will all be for nothing. Do you want the world to end?" Sam pleaded crawling back up the hill.

"You're so stupid. Michael and Lucifer aren't in the same cage. When they fell Sam and Lucifer slit apart and ended in one cage and Adam and Michael in another. They can be free and Lucifer would still be trapped. Of course I don't want the world to end!"

"Is that even possible?" Dean asked Cas thinking about his half-brother and the possibility of saving him from the torment Dean brought on.

"Maybe, " Cas mumbled, "Who told you that?"

"A white eyed demon," Charlie answered quietly like she wanted to believe that what the demon told her was true, but knew deep inside that the chances of a demon telling the truth as as high as the chance of winning the lottery without playing.

"And you thought you could believe them?" Dean scoffed, "They're demons they lie for a living. All they want is for you to free Lucifer so he can overthrow Crowley and his guys."

"Of course they weren't lying!" Charlotte defended and Dean thought he caught a hint of the white eyes of a demon replacing Charlie's blue ones for a second. "I'm going to free Michael from Hell and then let Vassago out to beat Crowley and put Hell back into rights. And if you try to stop me so help me God you will regret it."

And with the looming threat Charlie disappeared leaving the Winchesters and Cas to face the coming trouble.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Come on let's get back to the states and the Impala with our guns. I don't like this one gun thing. We can track her from there." Dean's voice was exhausted; this whole Charlie thing had him getting less sleep than normal.

"You're not going to be able to get back to the states by a plane," the man who spoke to them appeared out of nowhere and even without Castiel's recognition the Winchesters knew that he could only be one thing-an angel.

"Chamuel. Charlotte is gone, and obviously we haven't hurt her. You have no business here." Cas addressed the angel reverently.

"He's not your boss anymore," Dean reminded Cas just before Chamuel answered.

"You're right Castiel; I have no business here. The other archangels will be furious when they discover what I've done. What I'm doing." Chamuel agreed with a nod of his blonde head.

"Then what are you doing here?" Sam asked bluntly. He'd lost all respect for archangels when he was possessed by one, even if that archangel was Lucifer who isn't that good of an example.

"Charlotte Morganstern is being misguided and even we don't know by who. Multiple angels have gone to her and tried to talk sense into her, but she's insistent. She refuses to consider the idea that Michael is in the Cage with Lucifer and that releasing him would release Lucifer too."

"Well you're an angel, knock some sense into her!" Dean suggested causing Chamuel to look at him for the first time glare in his eyes.

"Even and archangel can't touch her without getting blasted to pieces by another archangels and the others would never agree to it. She refuses to listen to anyone. All of creation and she picks a demon to trust. There is one who could get through to her. Her only Father."

"You don't mean God do you because we tried the God's intervention approach before, it didn't work out," Sam reminded the archangel. None of them would forget God ditching Heaven and allowing Lucifer to rise. If God wouldn't stop Lucifer's rising then, there was no way he'd stop it now.

"The problem was, you couldn't find him. I, myself, am not one of the 4 angels who has seen him, they're all either dead or in Hell at your hands, but I do know how to find him. Or how you could find him Dean."

"Me! Why can I find him if an angel can't?" Dean protested as Castiel spoke quickly over him.

"The seven trials of the Lord. You know what they are?"

Chamuel nodded solemnly, "I am the angel who cast Adam and Eve from Eden so I was charged with the trials that would allow a human to see him as Adam and Eve did." He then turned to Dean with a gaze sharper than knives. "To answer your question Dean. Sam and Castiel are the only humans who know the truth of Charlotte and her intentions. The Seven Trials of the Lord can only be done by a decedent of Adam and Eve. Castiel, while human now, is not descended from Adam and Eve."

"Why can't Sam do it then? He's done trials before," Dean asked. He never would actually let Sam face these trials, but he still wanted to know why these things always seemed to come down to him and no one else.

"Come on Dean, you're kidding right? I'm not exactly a picture perfect righteous human."

"And I am?" Dean reminded them, "I'm like the embodiment of the seven deadly sins."

"Sam could complete the trials, it's true," Cas told them, "But he couldn't speak to God. He still has demon blood in him and in the presence of God that demon blood would kill him from the inside. God probably isn't talking to Charlotte in fear of hurting her, even if they're not face to face. He's pure good and demon is pure evil. It doesn't mix."

"Castiel is right," Chamuel told Dean, "Only you can face God, but the trials will be more difficult for you than many, because as you said you're a picture perfect sinner. Each trial has you overcoming one of the seven deadly sins. And you can't just exorcise them this time. You actually have to overcome the sin inside you."

"This isn't going to end well," Dean muttered before looking at his friends and realizing there were no other plans coming, "But I guess it's worth a shot. What's the first trial?"

"The first sin is lust. Do you know what that means you have to do?" Chamuel asked dubiously.

"No porn for a week?" Dean asked secretly terrified of how little control he had over his lust.

"This is no joke Dean," Cas scolded, "it won't be enough just to overcome your sexual lust."

"Castiel is right. When I administer a trial I will put you in a simulation, but you won't know it isn't real and will have no memory of it being a trial. To succeed you'll need to overcome your lust without knowing the danger this world will face if you don't. You have to resist or you won't find God and Lucifer will rise. "

"But how am I supposed to not do something If I don't know I'm supposed to not do it?" Dean asked hope lost. Lucifer was going to rise because Dean couldn't stop him, again.

"The trials will provide you with a guide, a projection of your conscious in physical form. It will be there to remind you right from wrong, though there is no guarantee you'll listen to it any more than you would normally. Good luck, the world is counting on you." Chamuel told Dean as he pressed is hand to Dean's forehead before he could object.

Dean fell unconscious Sam barely catching him before he smacked against the hard ground.


	6. Chapter 6

God knows why I start with Lust which is the hardest... On another note anyone who reviews constructively gets a cookie?

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Chapter 6

"You know Dean, I think we're a lot alike. Maybe we should go back to my place and see if we're even more compatible." Confusion struck Dean; where was he? Last thing he remembered... he'd been in a Connecticut motel with Sam and Cas waiting for a case to turn up. Where were they now? Where was he now? Shaking off the confusion Dean once-overed the fine blonde specimen in front of him. Sure, she knew Dean more than he did her, but who needs to talk?

"Don't you think that would be taking a bit of advantage over her?" Dean spun and found a hot brunette sitting on the other side of him. Her eyes were a brilliant shade of green and Dean couldn't help but wonder if she'd invite him to her room too and the two girls would have a cat fight over him. The brunette rolled her eyes almost like she knew what he was thinking. "Of course I know what you're thinking. I'm part of you."

"What do you mean by that?" Dean asked putting his hand on the thigh of the blonde who was starting to get up.

"I'm your conscience. I know you can't know what's going on but I thought that was obvious. Name's Jackie and come on even you know that you shouldn't be touching her. She has a clear tan line where her wedding ring goes during the day. Don't pretend you didn't see it."

Dean looked over at the blonde to see her reaction to Jackie's words, before realizing that no one but him could see or hear Jackie. Sighing he knew his chance of scoring tonight was gone and he needed to figure out what was going on. Plus Jackie, whether or not she was his conscious, was right-the blonde was married.

"Sorry babe, I don't do married woman. I like them care free and wild," Dean told her paying his tab and getting up from the bar Jackie strolling behind. Once they were out of hearing range of anyone who'd think Dean was nuts talking to no one (which was one of the possibilities, yet in his life not a likely one) he turned to Jackie and said, "Explain."

"Can't," she told him with a flip of her hair. "All I can tell you is your facing a test that you kind of need to pass. Since you can't know what you're being tested on or by whom I'm out of your body and next to you so you can't just ignore what I'm saying. Let me tell you though I'm not going to be all that much help. Your cricket is a bit faulty."

"So you're telling me you're my conscience. And I'm just supposed to believe you?" Dean told her incredulously. No way was this girl his conscious people didn't really have consciouses... did they?

"You don't have any other options. I'm not going away; you can't get rid of your conscience just ignore her." Jackie told him like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Care to tell me what this test is on because I haven't studied," Dean joked, "At least I have pants on and it isn't one of those dreams."

"This is a serious matter Dean. No joking and pretending you don't give a sh*t. All I can tell you is your virtues are being tested." Jackie told Dean with a mischievous smile.

"Well then I'm getting a big fat F because my virtues burned with my first monster," Dean told her flippantly not wanting to face the idea that this test really was important and he was going to end the world by being such a bad person.

Jackie glared at the boy before telling him firmly, "You can't fail."

Dean strolled down the street wondering if there was any chance of him passing when he didn't even know what he was being tested on. "Fine. Care to tell me where I am and where Cas and Sam are?"

"Technically, you're in Jerusalem lying in a motel with Cas and Sam besides you. They're not all that happy they had to carry you there mind. However... right now you're walking the streets of Las Vegas, Nevada a city as virtuous as you."

"So this is a dream? If I'm dreaming do I just have to wake up?" Dean hoped

"Not a dream per say more a simulation. Whatever you do here won't affect the real world, but it will affect your test. You can't wake up until you finish it," Jackie told him crushing his hopes of wiggling out of this unknown test.

"So what am I supposed to do. Wander around until I pass or fail?" Dean asked a little bit too loudly so people began looking at him strangely.

"You're supposed to do what you always do. Hunt. As soon as you finish the job, your test will be over."

"Great, that's easy. Why didn't you just say so." Dean told her walking purposely to the Impala trunk and opening the weapon compartment. "What exactly am I hunting?"

Jackie's laugh reminded Dean of his mother's and he wondered if in a way Jackie was his mom, his guiding force. "It's a ghost of a psycho priest killing off all the unwedded. Oh and burning his bones wouldn't do you much good because he carries them with him"

"Perfect," Dean laughed, " I can get drunk, win some money, and then get laid while luring the ghost right to me."

Jackie shook her head despairingly. "You do know that drinking, gambling, and sex out of wed-lock is considered wrong by practically everyone."

"God who knew my conscience was so annoying. For once what happens in Vegas really will stay in Vegas, none of this is real, so what the hey let's go all out."

"I'm just telling you that maybe using some poor girl as bait isn't exactly right even if you're going to be a lustful, greedy, gluttonous, d*ck and break every rule in the book. Why am I even here when you aren't going to listen to word I say?" Jackie really hoped Dean would pick up on her hints about what the test was, but unfortunately Dean didn't get it.

"Listen Jackie. You seem like a nice girl and I'm not surprised my conscious appeared as a hot one instead of a cricket. But this is just the way I do things, nobody gets hurt."

"Really? Have you ever wondered if all those girls you have one night stands with regret it? I know you never have but maybe, just maybe, they're not so thrilled to know that they got drunk and hooked up with a d*ck who they couldn't find again if they wanted too. You're selfish that's what you are. You use girls, alcohol, and whatever else you can to hide the fact that you just want to care about something. Why not, for one night, you focus on doing your job and the long term benefits of some self control and not be a fr*gg*ng b*sterd for once in your life."

Dean didn't want to listen to Jackie saying all the things he'd wondered about his entire life. He wished she'd just disappear and was glad he wasn't Pinocchio who always had his conscious yelling in his ear.

"Fine. How am I supposed to find this ghost and take its bones if it only comes to those knocking boots without going to the chapel first?"

Jackie rolled her eyes, "Come on Dean, this is a Vegas Casino. Walk into a bathroom."

Dean had only been to Vegas on one other occasion in which him and Sam stopped by after a month long hunt that had exhausted both them and their virtue, but during that time he'd learnt how to blend in. Loading up his concealable piston with rock salt full casings Dean turned to Jackie as they entered the casino. "You wouldn't happen to be on the same plain as the ghost would you because if he's holding the bones I don't know how I'll grab them."

Jackie smiled happy for once she was being useful and not just yelling at Dean, "It just so happens I am. If you keep the ghost busy I can grab their bones and burn them. You'll have to make the rounds though and find a nice couple to follow back to their room."

"Ugg. I'm going to look like such a creep aren't I? Wouldn't it just be easier for me to hook up?"

Jackie's glare was back, "Easier yes, right no."

"How am I supposed to pay? I don't seem to have any credit cards in this weird dream Vegas," Dean asked which promoted Jackie to make a casino card appear in her hand. "Sweet there a limit on this thing?" Jackie shook her head, "I'm going to drink and play all night."

Jackie's eyes seemed to be in a constant role with Dean's attitude. "Ever heard the words gluttony or greed because I'm pretty sure they're frown upon."

"Gee what are you my conscience?" Dean joked causing Jackie's eyes to roll again. "And I thought gluttony was just eating too much."

"It's anything in excess. Like having a dozen beers instead of 2."

"Whatever," Dean sighed," I don't like being drunk on a hunt anyways and any money I earned wouldn't do me much good once this nightmare is over."

Jackie actually smiled at that. Dean was learning.

Even sober and purposely losing Dean owned the Casino. His presence drew women to him and only with Jackie's constant reminder that he needed to focus on the hunt did Dean reject them. Still, the test didn't end, so Jackie could only hope he hadn't failed and given into one of the deadly sins too much. After about an hour Dean ran into Janell and Justin, a young couple that had plans on hooking up at 1K who practically begged Dean to follow them. Actually, at one point they did beg Dean to make it a threesome. Disgusted and highly disturbed he declined, but had the perfect opportunity to escort them to their room.

It wasn't until Dean was sitting outside the couples room waiting for the screaming of a ghost that he finally began to question Jackie again intent on finding out what was going on.

"If you can't tell me what the test is, can you at least tell me why I'm taking it? I mean how am I supposed to know you're not some demon or even another angel messing with my head?"

Jackie sighed; she'd expected this to come even sooner. "I can't say much, but trust me I am your conscience. You have to do these tests because you're looking for somebody. The only person who can stop a danger. I'm sorry Dean, I can't say more."

"Whatever," he told her slinking to the floor in exhaustion. "I hope I pass and we find this person. Answer me one more thing though. Who could put me in a state like this. Trickster maybe, but I'm betting on angel. Don't tell me I'm dealing with angels again."

Jackie forced a smile, "Dean, your best friend was once an angel. They're not all bad you know."

Dean wanted to press more, but the scream coming from inside the room prompted him to knock over the already picked door instead. Justin and Janell stood naked backs against the wall as a ghostly priest approached them. "Over here dirt bag!" Dean called letting off few rock salt shots. The ghost was strong, strong enough the rock salt didn't send him away, but it did the job of sending him flying knife in hand towards Dean instead of the bewildered and terrified couple."

Jackie dodged around the flying bullets afraid of what they'd do to her. She was practically on top of him and hid backpack full of bones when the ghost noticed her and sent her flying crashing into the wall. Unable to be hurt (because she wasn't exactly alive) Jackie dashed back towards him lighter flaming and caught the bag on fire. A piercing scream went through the air as the ghost burnt with his bones."

"And that ladies and gentleman. Is why you don't be a prude," Dean joked just as he felt a tug pulling him from the simulation and into a different world.

Dean looked around the motel room hearing the normal sounds of Sam showering. (It may sound odd but you live with someone long enough you know what they sound like doing everything). Blinking, Dean wondered if he was out of his dream and back in the real world until he saw Jackie sitting on the bed next to him.

"Congratulations. You just passed the first test which covered... multiple subjects. Only four more to go."

Dean groaned and fell back wishing this could all just be over.


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry about the sporadic updates. Now that I'm in school I don't have as much time. Though I'm transferring schools so this might once again change...

* * *

Chapter 7

"Is this another vision?" Asked Dean looking around, "'cause it sure as hell feels real."

"So did the last one,but yes whatever you do here will affect real life," Jackie hinted. She wasn't lying to him,for Pete's sake she's a conscience she can't lie. Still, Dean wanted to know if this was the real universe or a dream one like before. Jackie couldn't answer that question, this was his test of sloth,and he couldn't know that the Sam in the shower had no affect on Sam in real life. If he did that would bias the test. It's a whole lot easier to make the tough decisions when you know that you'll just wake up later and no one else will know what happened because for them it didn't.

"I thought you said I was in Jerusalem and Cas was there. I know this motel, we're right outside Lawrence. How did I get here? How are you here? You better start talking because I've done nothing but trust you with no reason too."

"I haven't given you any reason not to!" Jackie countered but knew now that she could she had to explain. "Have you really not figured out who has the ability to do this?"

"Oh I have plenty of ideas and I like each less than the one before it." Dean growled loud enough to cause Sam to yell from the bathroom wondering who he was yelling at.

"I'm your conscience Dean. Who do you think did this?" Jackie asked exasperated by his insufferable attitude.

Dean's sour face told Jackie that the truth was his least favorite option, "Angels. God d*mn it I thought I was done with them."

"Face it Dean, once you're brought back from hell by an angel you're never free from their grasp. They know you and they go to you with their problems just as you went to Cas with your problems."

"How come I don't remember everything. If this is the real world shouldn't I have all my memories even if an angel beamed Sam and I back to Lawrence and left Cas behind."

Jackie bit his lip trying to tell him things without telling him things."Your memories are being blocked. Knowing the stakes would only make you act differently. Sam will have no recollection of issue either and has fake memories of Cas going back to Emmanuel's wife to explain and he doesn't even know you ever went to Jerusalem. In his mind this is just any other hunt and I'd suggest keeping it that way."

"Why should I trust you?" Dean repeated.

"For the last time. Dean Winchester I'm your conscience. You can trust me or you can not, it makes no difference. I can't go away until you finish these trials one way or another. However, since I know what's going on and you don't trusting me might just be a good idea?"

"How do I know you're not one of those God d*mned demons trying to trick me into trusting you when this is all a lie?"

"I don't know. Why don't you check and see what your conscience thinks," Jackie told him sarcastically rolling her eyes. "Oh wait that's me. Why don't we ask Sammy what he thinks. Hey Sammy do you think Dean should trust me?"

Sam had exited the bathroom and sat practically on top of Jackie obviously not able to see her. Still, to prove her point Jackie got on her feet and danced in front of Sam waving her hands to the point where she went to slap him and her hand passed right through him.

"What the Hell! You're not corporal," Dean cried putting his hand through Jackie. Jackie smacked her face as Sam gave a really weird look to Dean.

"Um Dean. Did you hit your head again because you're not making any sense. Why wouldn't I be corporal? "

"Like I said he can't see me because I'm not here. I'm part of you being manifested for you to see," Jackie couldn't believe that after all the proof Dean still had doubts. Yet, after all the lies he's been told who can blame him. "Oh and remember he can't know this is a trial. So unless you want to explain to him why your conscience is here without telling him the truth I'd suggest lying. God I'm a conscience telling you to lie. You're really messed up."

"Um no I didn't hit my head. Did you know spiders can be ghosts? I went to kill a spider on my lap and my hand went right through it like a ghost not wanting to be corporal," Dean lied, "I'm going to go out for a beer and some girls."

"Sure don't worry," Sam said waving him off even if he knew Dean was lying, "I've got some research to do."

Worry seared through Dean, now both of them were lying to the other. Dean had good reason, but why would Sam be lying? What was he actually going to do?"

Strolling from the motel Dean walked calmly until he was positive Sam couldn't see him. Grabbing Jackie he slammed her against the motel. Unable to be non-corporal when Dean was involved Jackie felt the breath leave her as she faced her first beating outside Dean's body. She remembered his pain whenever he got beaten but never before had she had her own separate body to be abused. And d*mn was Dean strong.

"Tell me what's going on. And no lying like you said a conscience, even mine, shouldn't be lying."

Hardly able to utter a word through Dean's grasp Jackie coughed until Dean let her drop to the ground. "I told you already. They're trials an angel is putting through. I can't tell you the stakes or it will affect your decisions. I'm sorry Dean I don't like this any more than you do. It might not seem it but I am you, I really am. I just know what's right and wrong and tell you. "

"But why! What are the trials for?" Dean prodded desperate for something that might help him.

"You're trying to find someone and an archangel Chamuel is trying to help you. Trust me, he's trying to help you. You should have failed during your first trial. He's going easy on us. You need to find this person or people will get hurt. You know, the usual stakes," Jackie tried joking but her voice fell flat as she wondered if it was her fault that the end of the world was the usual stake. Maybe if she guided Dean better things would never have gotten that bad.

Dean stood silently trying to decide once and for all if he should just trust Jackie and go along with what she says or fight. Sighing he knew he had to do this or people would die. Not everyone just came back like he always seemed to.

"Fine. Tell me what's going on here. And what's up with Sam? Is that the angel's doing?"

Relieved Jackie began to explain, "You guys came here because 3 corpses were found drained of blood. You thought vampires obviously. You found the nest and killed them all, but even after you finished off the vampires 3 more bodies have been found and these were... different."

"What's so different about them?" Dean asked even though the look on Jackie's face made him wonder if he wanted to know.

"There have been tons of demonic omens and the 3 other bodies found were demons. Someone bound the demons to their meat suites, cut them, and drained them of blood."

"Wait... it's not a special child right? One of the younger ones? Could they be drinking demon blood like Sam was?"

Jackie bit her lip," That does seem to be the case. Though there hasn't been any sign of a special child using their other abilities, it's just the blood. And there is no one living in Lawrence who had a nursery fire on their 6th month so..."

"It could be anyone. Great. And what sort of test is this? It's nothing like the last one."

"Trust me. It's connected just different. I can tell you more on this one, but I don't know if I'll be as much help as last time."

"That makes no sense," Dean reminded her and she nodded.

"I know."


	8. Just to clarify

Hi guys. I just finished Sacrafice (Supernatural season 8 episode 23) which means yup I've finished the show. Now that I understand everything I've seen on tumblr I'd like to clarify how this story works regarding the shocking and horrible for the mental state events at the end of season 8.

I don't know how the show will work this out, but from this point on whatever happens in the show DOES NOT HAPPEN IN THIS FAN FIC!

The power Sam acquired from the trials had to be used for something, and that something happens to be the counter spell for the one that made all the angels fall. Heaven has been restored and the damage caused by the trials in Sam is gone. While all the other angels have returned to heaven unanimous in their one goal of killing metatron Cas still hasn't found his grace, which was stolen by metatron and thrown to earth somewhere. Cas is looking for it but so far has had no luck.

Crowley is still a demon... for now. Still "I don't even know where to begin looking for forgiveness." Come on, I have my soul I can't not do something with that (besides sob).

Also, if you're wondering why the archangels are protecting Charlotte but none of the other prophets, it's because due to the fact 4 of the 8 archangels are indisposed they couldn't protect the prophets all at once, and couldn't protect Kevin because his designated protector, Rafael, is dead. Charlotte on the other hand is a top priority and to be protected before all the other prophets combined. When Crowley went after the other prophets all the 4 remaining jumped to protect Charlie. Since they were all scrambling over who should protect THE prophet they forgot about the other prophets.

Hope this has eased your minds and if you have any questions... comment and I'll try my best to fix the plot holes season 8 has created for me.


	9. Chapter 8

Oh and I forgot to mention. They do still have their library... but in this reality Chamuel cooked up they don't remember it.

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Chapter 8

Dean walked back into the motel room to find himself slamming into Sam who appeared to be leaving. "Where you going? I thought you were staying in. Doing research."

"I thought you were going out to get laid," Sam remarked and Dean couldn't help but wonder what he had done (or more precisely what Sam thought he'd done) to deserve the icicle knives Sam was stabbing him with.

"Touche. Well don't let me stop you. Go off and do whatever you need to do. I'll do the research for once. You seem to enjoy it why don't I try some," Dean joked. He'd done plenty of research in his time, but nothing beat what Sam dragged up.

As soon as Sam walked out the door and out of sight Dean spun on his heels and made a break after him. Jackie followed behind an indistinguishable look on her face. After a block of walking Dean finally cracked and turned to the girl, "If you're gonna yell at me for following Sam or not trusting him go ahead."

"I wasn't planning on yelling at you. I only wanted to say following Sam because you're nosy or don't trust him. THAT would be wrong. Following him because you're worried about him. I might not be the best conscience in the world but I'd say that's all right."

"So I'm right! There is something going on with Sam. He looks weird... he's acting weird... he's not asking questions... d*mn he even smells off. Whatever this trial is. It's about Sam isn't it. He's in danger."

Jackie cursed herself for being so revealing and talked slowly afraid Chamuel would make her disappear if she said to much and Dean would be on his own. "I wasn't saying that per say. You know Sam. If you're worried about him... let's just say you might be right. Danger has been following him."

"What are you yoda now? Never mind I need to find Sam and help him," Dean went off to reveal himself to Sam but Jackie grabbed his arm before he could do anything he'd regret when he failed the trial for being hasty.

"I'm not going to stop you from running out there. That's not my job. I'm that little angel on your shoulder telling you what you should already know. Sam's not in any immediate danger. I give you my word. However if you rush out there before you know what's going on that might very well change."

"You know I'm really getting sick of this cryptic thing. Give me one good reason I shouldn't just go and save Sam's *ss?"

Jackie didn't answer because she was tired of giving Dean the same answer-she couldn't tell him anything. If she told him something that corrupted the trial and Charlie released Lucifer because of her Jackie would never forgive herself. Which means Dean would never forgive himself for one more thing. Dean had enough guilt to deal with, Jackie didn't need to give him any more.

Dean sighed, but he too knew that Jackie was right and followed Sam slowly and cautiously like before. Sam was being careless an elephant probably could have tailed him never mind a non-corporal conscience and his brother who knows his every step. Still, Dean was careful. If Sam really shouldn't know he was there and saw him... things would get ugly. They hadn't had a real fight since the day the angels fell when Sam accused Dean of not trusting him. Dean so didn't want to go there again.

Sam led them to an old abandoned warehouse, that once Dean snuck closer to he realized wasn't abandoned at all. Voices carried in the wind, and while Dean couldn't make out words, he didn't like the tone. Suddenly, a scream of agony pierced the night. Dean leap out from behind the dumpster and began his dash towards his brother until Jackie grabbed him. Whiplash burned on his neck as he fought the small girl for the second time tonight, this time not winning.

"Dean shut up. You know Sam's scream and does that sound like the scream of Sam? No. Do you know what it sounded like to me? A demon. It sounds to me like Sam just juiced a demon without you.

"Wait... all these new murders. They're Sam's doings. He's been sneaking out and killing demons before draining their blood to make it look like a vampire. Why? I was with him when we cleared out the nest right? So I would know we got all the vamps. Why pretend it's a vamp killing the demons. Hell why doesn't he just take me along to kill these sons of b*tches?"

Jackie flashed Dean a look of sympathy, "Come on. We need to get out of here. We can talk back at the motel. If Sam arrives before us he'll realize you followed him. Trust me on this Dean he won't be happy to discover you know what he's doing."

"Trust me on this trust me on this. That's all you ever say. You're like a broken record stuck on the same tune and I'm done with you. I'm turning you off."

"Sorry Dean but I'm here until you finish these trials or Chamuel decides I'm done. And maybe I am a broken record, but remember I'm a broken record that's a physical manifestation of your deepest thoughts." Dean's face was blank so Jackie raised her voice unafraid of anyone else hearing her because frankly they couldn't. "I'm you Dean! You keep wanting to think I'm some bad guy but I'm not. I'm you! So if I keep telling you to trust me without giving you any basis for trust look inside and see why."

Dean shot daggers at the girl, but she didn't care. He'd heard her and he wasn't about to forget what she said even if he refused to speak with her the entire time back. Once they arrived back at the motel to find Sam still AWOL Dean hopped in the shower in hope that when he came out Jackie would be gone and this nightmare would be over. To his distress the girl still sat there, now in a nightie, sipping tea like some British royal and not a b*tchy conscience.

Sighing Dean flopped on his bed conscience of where he was lying so he knew for sure he'd be sitting on Jackie. She didn't care. Dean sat on her and she just moved. She could touch Dean to stop him, but no matter how hard he tried you can't hurt someone who in reality is still in your mind.

"You know why Sam's draining the blood right. You've figured it out but just don't want to face it. They don't call them trials for nothing. These make Sam's look like a walk in a park."

"But they're different. With Sam it was all physical fighting things killing things. With you... it's like it's all in my mind."

Jackie rolled her eyes. Way to hit the nail on the head and still be wrong. All she wanted to do was yell _Dean you idiot this is in your mind, _but she couldn't. Not if she wanted to stop Charlie from destroying the Universe.

"You know you can't avoid the question forever. You know why Sam's draining the demon blood right. I can see it in your eyes and anyone who looks at Sam can see it too."

Dean sighed, "Yeah. I know. Sam's fallen off the wagon hard. He's doing it again he's drinking demon blood."

Jackie bit her lip, breathed deeply, and spoke softly, "And you know what you have to do right? You know what this trial entails?"

Dean looked almost like a child pleading with his mother as he turned to Jackie and spoke the dangerous truth, " It's time for me to make good on my word. My final promise to Dad... and what I promised to Sam that night in that haunted hotel all those years ago. I can't save Sam. He just keeps going back to the Demon drug, so I'm gonna have to kill him."


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Dean couldn't believe the words that had come from his mouth. He couldn't kill Sammy he just couldn't. He'd gone to Hell for that boy and would do anything, anything to keep him safe. Dean would rip someone to shreds for giving Sam a hangnail. How could he even consider killing his brother?

Yet... this Sam was not his brother, not really. Sam on demon blood was just as bad if not worse than Sam without a soul. Still, it's Sammy the little boy Dean carried from a fire. The boy he watched every day when their dad went on a hunt. The kid who discovered monsters existed on Christmas as Dean tried his hardest to keep the boy in a fantasy world for just a little while long. Sam, who gave him the god-finding necklace that somehow had appeared back on Dean's neck. Sam who Dean would do anything for. What's the lives of a few measly demons compared to Sam Winchester, the only one Dean had left?

"I can't. I just can't. I'll save him. I can still save him," Dean told Jackie breaking down. No! He couldn't let Sam die and he couldn't kill him. Dean would save him by not killing him. What did it matter if he drank demon blood? Dean needed Sam. He could turn a blind eye. He could pretend he didn't know what was going on and they could move to a new town, start again. Who needed to pass some test. Scr*w Jackie. Scr*w saving the world. Sam had done the right thing when Dean was in Purgatory he decided that maybe the worlds problems didn't have to be his problems. Dean could keep going, keep hunting. Sam could drain his demons and help people, he could exorcise demons without killing the meat suit. Why should it be up to Dean to save everyone when doing that meant losing Sammy? Killing Sammy? It wasn't Dean's job!

"It's hard, I know it's hard. I'm you Dean and I feel it. Sam is your cornerstone and ripping him away will cause you to break into ruins. Yet, Sam on demon blood THAT ISN'T SAM! He cares more about revenge and killing and power than you. Sam, the real Sam, wanted so desperately for you to stop him before he got to this point, before he wasn't Sam anymore. Sam's hurting innocent people. Possessed people, yes, but innocent none-the-less. You have to stop Sam, you have to end his terror. And, at this point, ending him is the only way to do that."

"I can't. I can't lose Sammy. I can't end him," a lone tear trickled from his eye as Dean remembered his world without Sammy. He couldn't do it, he just couldn't.

Jackie couldn't help herself, she got mad. "Dean, if this was you wouldn't you want Sam to end it?"

"Oh course!" Dean yelled back, "But I'm selfish! I know Sam wants this, and I know it's the right thing to do, but I CAN NOT DO IT! I just can't. I can't go on without him. I have no one besides him."

Jackie sat besides Dean hand resting on his shoulder, "You wouldn't be alone. You have Cas now remember. He'll be back in a few days. Cas can never replace Sam, but he's as much your brother as Sam. Castiel... he'd do it you know. If you asked him. I think we both know he's in love with you, even if you only see him as a brother. Cas would end Sam so you wouldn't have to, but someone has to and you know it. It's for the best."

"No," Dean told Jackie pulling away from her comforting embrace, "If it's gonna be done it's gonna be done by me. I could never look at Cas again if I let him do it. Sam made me promise to do it because he needs it to be me. I," Dean took a deep, rattling, breath, "I'll do it."

Relief flooded through Jackie. If Dean did it then he'd finish the test and wake up to his next one where Sam's alive again. Why couldn't Chamuel just end it with Dean deciding to do it? Why did Dean have to remember forever Sam's blood flowing over his hands as Dean held his little Sammy for the last time knowing it was all his fault Sam died. Even if he'd awake to Sam being alive it didn't matter; Dean would never forgive himself for this trial.

"He's not just gonna sit down and take it you know. And Sam's stronger than you, especially with this much demon blood in him. You can't just fight and expect to win... you could shoot him I guess, catch him off guard."

"No," Dean told her firmly. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out Ruby's knife and wondered if this would ever have happened if not for that demon b*tch. If Ruby had never shown Sam what he could do on demon blood... . Dean wished Ruby was still alive because her death was all to swift and clean. She deserved to be torn to shreds day after day after day never free from the suffering, just as Dean would never be free of his suffering without Sam. "If I'm going to kill my brother, stab him in the back, I'm going to do it right. He kills me all the better. Then I don't have to deal without him."

Dean sat on his bed for hours, twirling the knife in his hand and waiting for Sam to return. The entire time only one thought went through his brain-I hope we go down together.

Finally, close to midnight, the jangling of Sam's keys against the door awoke Dean from his gruesome thoughts of fratricidal and back to reality. Dean searched the room for a sign of Jackie but found that for the first time since these trials she was no where in sight. _Probably too ashamed of what's going to happen to stick around and watch. What kind of messed of conscience tells you to kill your own brother? And what kind of messed up person actually has to listen? _

The door swung open and Dean could see imaginary blood dripping from his mouth. _Sam's a monster. _Dean told himself repeatedly, _The real Sammy begged me to do this. _

"You're still up," Sam commented casually, "You seemed exhausted earlier, like you hadn't slept in months. I figured you'd turn in early."

"Just been waiting for you Sammy," Dean replied through gritted teeth. _What was he doing? _

"Find anything?" Sam asked as he stepped into the bathroom to wash his blood soaked teeth.

"It's definitely a psychic kid gone off the reservation. Doubt there is any chance of saving them if they're to the point where they're drinking a demon worth of blood a day. Shame, I'm sure he was a nice kid."

Sam nodded in agreement, "Yeah but we know what the blood did to me. It makes you no longer you."

"You're right," Dean told him pulling the knife from his pocket and lunging towards the monster that had overridden Sammy.

Sam saw the glint of the silver coming towards him and like a flash he sent it flying psychically. Flinging Dean across the room like a proper demon Sam growled, "How did you know?"

"Come on Sammy," Dean told him crawling over to where the knife lie just as Sam sent him flying against the wall again. "It was pretty obvious. Who else would even know they had demon blood in them and the timing. You might be the Stanford drop out but I ain't stupid."

Having feign weakness before Dean lunged towards Sam knocking the giant man to the floor with a crash. Punches flew as the two Winchesters wrestled to the death. A glint of silver lying next to a smashed mirror caught Dean's eye as Sam looked the other way. Kicking him off of him like a kangaroo Dean lunched for Ruby's knife the hilt burning ice against his hand.

Sam, who hadn't seen Dean's move for the knife, flew at him shard of glass in hand. With the same block-attack move Dean taught Sam on his 9th birthday the knife gorged its way into Sam breaking two hearts equally.

The fight left Sam as Dean bore the knife deeper and deeper into his chest, crying and sobbing his apologizes as he did. Sam fell to the ground black demon blood spewing from his mouth and chest. He tried to say something maybe an apology, maybe a curse, but the gurgling of blood prevented the words from being distinguishable. Dean held his little brother in a tight hug pleading with God to let him die too.

Like ever time before God didn't listen.


	11. Chapter 10

You know... I wanted you guys to like Jackie, but now that I'm almost done with her I'm not even sure I like Jackie...

* * *

Chapter 10

Dean's eyes fluttered open to a brand new hotel in a brand new city. Grief possessed him as he lay wondering why God refused to just let him die. Why did he always live? Why did he always have to carry on?

"Dean I have some bad news."

Dean sat upright so fast whiplash replaced his grief. No. It's not possible. Dean knew that voice. Of course Dean knew that voice he'd heard it almost every day since he was 4 years old.

Sam sat at the motel table on his laptop normal as can be and perfectly alive. "That son of a b*tch." He growled never happier in his life. Who cared if the last trial was in the real Universe and this was the fake one, not Dean that's for sure. He had Sam. A perfectly, normal Sam. "Hey Sammy you haven't been thinking about dropping off the wagon and sucking some demons dry lately right?"

Sam scowled at Dean confused, "What are you drunk I'm not going there again thank-you-very-much. Where is this coming from all of a sudden?"

"It's nothing," Dean said beaming like a child on Christmas morning. "It's just good to see you. Really good to see you. Now if you'll excuse me I have an annoying cricket to kill."

Sam clearly thought Dean had gone mad, but Dean honestly didn't care. Sammy was alive, he hadn't killed him, and now the smug little Jackie sitting in the corner of their little motel room was going to get it.

Jackie followed Dean outside not worried at all because as she'd mentioned before Dean couldn't hurt her. It didn't matter what Chamuel made Dean see. Jackie wasn't really there unless she wanted to be.

"You son of a b*tch." Dean cursed, "That wasn't real was it. This isn't real either. NONE OF IT'S REAL! It's just the trials. I'm lying in some motel with Sam and Cas besides me. It's all in my head."

Jackie nodded, "Sorry, but I couldn't tell you. I mean it's much easier to plunge a knife into your brothers chest if you know you can just wake up to him being perfectly fine. This is another alternate reality, but yes, Sam's alive in the real world too you have my word."

"And your word means so much. You said the last one was the real world too Jackie. You're lying to me an you're my conscience. How am I supposed to trust a liar?"

Jackie rolled her eyes, "Come on Dean I'm not lying to you. I said what happened there affected the real world, and it did."

All Dean wanted to do was kick Jackie to the curve. With her tight lips she was no help and nothing but trouble. Yet... Dean knew he couldn't. One, he didn't doubt Jackie was his conscience... it had always been just as annoying as her and you can't throw out your conscience. Two, even if she refused to tell him anything of use Jackie did know things and knowledge was power where the Winchesters are concerned.

"Fine. Whatever. I'm not going to finish these trials and wake up fighting with you I've learnt that much. What's going on here?"

Jackie smiled glad she'd won the battle. She didn't get why Dean wouldn't trust her, but she guessed it was because he didn't trust himself. As separate as she looked Jackie was 100% pure Dean Winchester. "Why don't you go inside and ask Sam what his bad news is. That's always promising."

Dean scowled at her before walking back into the motel where Sam looked both worried and confused. Clearly he'd spent the entire time Sam was outside wondering what had gotten into his brother. "I'm fine." Dean said confirming Sam's suspicion that Dean certainly was not fine. "It's just residual angel stuff that apparently won't ever be over."

Sam nodded not convinced but knowing he wasn't getting anything out of Dean. If Dean wanted to talk he wouldn't shut up; if Dean didn't want to talk he never opened his mouth.

"You said you had bad news," Dean prompted. "What's wrong."

"It's not so much bad news as news you're not going to like," Sam amended. "After Crowley tried to get to us by killing people we'd saved I set up a news search that would alert me if anything came up about people we knew. We've saved a lot of people, more than I even realized, and I don't even remember all their names but I picked the big ones. People we got close to, kids, and such."

"And you got a hit? Who's in trouble?" Dean asked hoping it was something perfectly natural and not someone trying to get to the Winchesters by hurting people again.

"Now, she's not in trouble but... it's Lisa. I found a marriage announcement. She's getting married this weekend in Battle Creek."

Lisa... it had been so long. She was getting married, for great for her. She deserved it she really deserved it. Ben... he deserved a father a real father. Still jealousy made her way into Dean's heart. How was it fair? Why did everyone else get to settle down, get married, live in a nice house, have a normal life while Dean got to help prevent a danger he didn't know the scale of. Dean had so many one night stands. There were so many people he'd slept with he didn't even know the name of anymore, but Lisa... even with Sam in Hell Dean still saw those 6 months with her as some of the best in his life. His heart broke over again just thinking about the beautiful woman and her son whom he'd settled down with.

"You coming to yell as me for being jealous?" Dean asked Jackie after he set out on his drive to be away from Sam.

Jackie smiled sadly, "Being jealous is perfectly natural. My question is are you going to act on that jealousy?"

Dean laughed, "What do you mean? Lisa doesn't know me as anything but the man who almost killed her and Ben. What am I going to do storm over there and demand she marry me instead? Don't be ridiculous." Dean didn't know why he was pretending he was okay when in all reality he wasn't. Lisa deserved to be happy, but didn't Dean too? Why couldn't they have been happy together? Why did Crowley have to force Dean to have their memories wiped? Why did everyone Dean love end up dead or gone?

"Cas would high tale it over to Michigan if you'd let him restore Lisa and Ben's memories you know that. You could go, give Lisa back her memories and marry her. It's all she ever wanted the entire time you were together."

"What do you want me to go there?" Dean snapped.

"Of course not! I want you to trust your gut and know your options. It's an option that's all I'm saying."

"Lisa is better off without me." Dean told Jackie firmly.

"Then why are you driving to her house as we speak?" Jackie asked quietly.

Dean refused to answer but kept driving. He'd go to Michigan and find Lisa. Just seeing her, seeing her happy, and being sure that her fiancée was human would make Dean happy. Dean drove all night and despite his exhaustion (he hadn't slept since the trials began) he never stopped. After a few hours Sam called and yelled at Dean for going off without him, but Dean didn't care. He was just going to catch a glimpse of Lisa and Ben happy and then leave. That was ll. It wasn't like he was going to break up the wedding.

Jackie was silent the entire way until boredom overcame her and she began to sing to the radio. Dean couldn't help but notice that her voice, when not yelling at him, actually was pretty sweet and ironically gentle. Neither of the companions spoke but they were highly aware of the others presence. Still. even with the long silent drive, it never felt awkward. Or no more awkward than driving 8 hours alone ever did.

By the time Dean arrived it was noon and wired with nerves at seeing Lisa he walked into the first bar and sat down at a table. As he was eating his pie Dean noticed a man in his early 30's enter the dinner with a teenager strolling behind him. Even though it had been 3 years Ben looked the same as he sat at dinner with his new Dad. Thinking about how he'd reacted when Dean came to stay with them Dean was surprised to find how comfortable Ben seemed. Dean smiled inwardly, even if he wasn't his kid Dean had begun to feel like Ben's father all those years ago. It still wasn't too late for the kid to have a nice dad. Did Dean wish it was him sitting at that table with Ben about to marry Lisa? Yes. Did that mean he wasn't happy Ben was happy? Of course not.

_One down one to go. If Lisa is this happy then walking away should be easy. _Dean told himself even if he knew it wasn't true. Seeing Lisa not knowing him would break Dean's heart enough, but seeing her happy with someone else would hurt more.

After finishing his lunch Dean cast one last glance at Ben before heading into town to see Lisa one last time. he'd overheard then talking about a dress fitting so he headed to the towns only bridal shop. Timing perfect as only Dean's could be he arrived at the dress store just in time to run into Lisa, literally, almost letting her dress bag fall to the ground. Catching it softly before it landed in a puddle Dean looked right into Lisa's eyes and wanted more than anything else to just ask Lisa to marry him instead.

"Oh my God thank you so much. I didn't see you there," Lisa apologized. Looking into Dean's face she got a confused look on her face and Dean worried that Cas's work had been faulty and she would remember him. What would he do if she did? "Do I know you?" Lisa finally asked, "You look really familiar."

Dean laughed casually, "Yeah um... I'm the person who hit you with my car a few years back. I'm really sorry about that I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt."

"Oh yes. Well you saved my dress now so it's fine. I don't know what I would have done if the dress got ruined! I'm getting married Saturday!"

"Congratulations," Dean told her sincerely as his heart shattered. Why couldn't he have this life? "Would you like me to help carry this dress to your car. We wouldn't want any more accidents."

Lisa looked relieved as if she'd been wondering how to carry the long dress without ruining it. "Would you? That would be so great thanks, it's right over here." Lisa led the way to the car Dean would recognize anywhere. "I guess I should actually thank you. If you hadn't hit my car I would never have met Branden. He was my nurse in the hospital after the accident." Lisa let out her soft laugh that to Dean sounded like an angel should. "He wrote his number on my cast."

"I'm glad then. You seem happy." Dean told Lisa quietly as he placed the dress down in the car with care.

"I am," Lisa told him sincerely, "I don't remember the last time I was this happy. Branden is a good man and he'll make a good father." Lisa smiled at Dean before getting in the car, "Thank you, again. For everything."

As Lisa's car pulled from sight Jackie walked up besides Dean and placed her soft hand on his shoulder. "Are you going after her?"

Dean shook his head and made his way back to the Impala. "No. She's happy. That's all I ever wanted." To Dean's surprise he felt no envy, no jealousy. He was just truly and completely happy. He hadn't ruined Lisa's life; Dean gave her the one she deserved, with Branden.

Jackie smiled, "Then my work here is done. I know you don't like me very much Dean, but if you ever want to listen to me again I'll still be there. Even if I can't smack you in the face to pay attention to me I'm there."

Dean opened his eyes to Sam and Cas talking on the other side of his room in the Men of Letter's bunker. Jackie was gone and Dean knew this was the real world. He was done. He was home.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Dean considered speaking, alerting Cas and Sam that he was awake, but despite the fact that he'd clearly been asleep for a while Dean was exhausted and fell into a restful sleep.

When he awoke Dean felt the pounding in his head as his memories returned to him. Charlie, the impending second Apocalypse, the trials, it all flooded back to Dean and he couldn't help but smile. No wonder Jackie didn't tell him the stakes; they were higher than he'd ever considered. Instinctively Dean looked around for Jackie before realizing she wasn't here anymore. His conscience was back inside him. Yet, if she was gone that meant his trials were done right? So why didn't he know how to find God?

"Oh my God Cas. He's awake." Sam cried making his way over to Dean who'd tried to climb out of bed and fallen on the floor. "Careful buddy. You're muscles are a bit out of practice even if Chamuel promised they wouldn't atrophy."

"How long have I been out?" Dean asked trying to get out of the bed Sam had just thrown him back in. Cas placed his hand on Dean and Dean wondered if he'd wasted all the time he could have searched for his grace on watching over Dean.

"Dean... it's been 3 months," Sam said clearly feeling awkward. The authorities in Jerusalem thought you had some weird disease so they shipped you back here. Instead of bringing you to a hospital we came here figuring there would be less explaining to do."

Three months? "No. It can't have been 3 months. It's only been a few days. You're kidding me."

"He's telling the truth, "Cas told Dean quietly, "Time passes differently where you were a day in there could be a month out here."

"What happened?" Sam asked and Dean looked at him but saw not his Sam but the dying Sam he held in his arms after he stabbed him to death. Shaking the image from his mind Dean avoided the question and instead turned it on Cas.

"I don't get it. Jackie said I was done. But I don't know how to find God any better now than before."

"Who's Jackie?" Sam asked but before Dean could explain the swishing of an angel's invisible wings sounded and Chamuel appeared.

"You d*ck. They didn't work. I went through all that. I did all of that and I still don't know where God is!" Dean yelled.

Chamuel stared at him coldly before responding, "You don't know how to find God because you're not done. In the you passed the test for lust, greed, gluttony, sloth, and envy. All of those happen in alternate universes. The test of pride happens right here in this Universe. It happens for real."

"What about wrath?" Sam asked before Dean could get a word in edgewise. "It's the seven deadly sins right so why doesn't he have to take a test of wrath?"

Cas answered that one for them, "God has been called wrathful before, but in reality his anger isn't wrath as it stems from love not hate. Dean, guilty as he is has never acted out of hate or revenge, but love. You get to skip that one because it's the one sin you've never been defeated by. God's wrath is okay because when he's killing he's destroying evil for those he loves. You get angry far more than anyone else I've ever heard of, but you always do it because of love. You kill monsters because you love the people you're saving, even when you don't know it. That's the good in you that has kept you out of the darkness. You love more than anyone I've ever seen."

Dean didn't know how to react to that because he knew it wasn't true. Who did he love that wasn't dead? Sam and then Cas, his brothers. He didn't love the people he saved... did he? _But then why do you save them? If you don't love them, if you don't care about them then why do you risk your *ss to save them every day? Why do you risk Sammy's life to save them? Maybe you do love them. Maybe love isn't just romantic or brotherly. It's when you care enough to die for any stranger._

"Castiel is right. You do not have to face the test for wrath because you are not wrathful. But you are prideful and time is running up. It's been three months Dean and I'm sure Sam and Castiel could share wonderful stories about how they pushed Charlotte even closer to Lucifer and Hell."

"You what?" Dean cried and instead of yelling back Cas and Sam just looked guilty. _What had happened while he was out?_ "Whatever you can tell me later or not at all. What's the last test what do I have to do to overcome pride and speak to God?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Chamuel asked, "You have to humble yourself and go to Confession."

"Confession? Like sitting down and telling God all the things you've done to scr*w up your life and others? I thought God was all-knowing shouldn't he know all that stuff already?" Dean asked but Sam's face was different.

"I don't know Dean, Confession is a pretty powerful thing. I didn't even do it in front of a priest and my confession was powerful enough to almost cure Crowley, the most demonic demon."

"Sam is right." Chamuel said with a nod, "Your final test is to see if you really can humble yourself and realize that you've done a lot of wrong and the only way to start to fix it is by realizing just what you've done. There is a church down the street and hurry Dean or even god will be too late to stop Charlotte."

Chamuel disappeared and grimacing Dean made his way out of bed and out of the bunker. "Wait Dean we can come with you. you don't have to do this trial alone." Sam called to Dean.

Looking back on his brother Dean smiled weakly but knew he was wrong, "I have to finish this the way I started it. I'll be back and maybe God will be with me. Congratulations Cas, you might just get your wish of meeting your father."


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Dean sat in his Impala wondering if there was any way to get out of this? Never, ever in all of his life had he even considered going to Confession. Why would he when he spent over 25 years not believing in God and all the time since then sure God didn't care about them. Yet... he had to. Not to save the world, not to meet God. Dean had to go to Confession because it was time to get some stuff off his chest. Poor priest, he won't know what hit him.

Walking into St. Michael's (Dean found the irony painful) he was glad to find a priest standing by the altar putting out candles. The man turned when he heard the doors open and spoke, "Can I help you?"

Walking up to the man Dean wondered if he was close to retiring. He didn't look all that old, maybe early 60's, but his eyes showed a life of a billion years weighted with all he'd seen. "Padre... um father. I don't really know how to do this but... I have some things to get off my chest."

The old man smile kindly and Dean almost wondered if this was what peace felt like. "Please, sit down. I'm Father Abba, but everyone just calls me Father. Talk I'm only here to listen and heal."

Dean sat on the pew awkwardly until Father sat besides him when he began, the words just tumbled out like a waterfall. " I'm going to sound nuts, what I say... you will think I'm nuts but I need to say it as it is. Don't worry about calling the white padded rooms they already know I escaped."

Father laughed at this before assuring Dean, "I have heard more confessions than you would believe in my time and nothing anyone has sounded crazy yet. Speak and I will listen. You're not talking to me anyways, you're speaking to God and I'm only here to make you feel less crazy as you talk to yourself."

Dean smiled weakly before beginning. "I've done some things, wild things that I'm not really proud of. It would take me a lifetime to tell you everything I've done because it's been a lifetime of doing these things. I've lied, constantly. There are people I've spent days with who I've never said an honest word to. I steal. My job doesn't exactly pay me so I have to run credit card scams just to make ends meet. Give my brother and I food and a place to sleep. I drink, a lot, have sex, a lot more than I probably should. And I've killed... sure the things I've killed they were evil, horrible, monsters even. Demons and ghouls, and vampires, but I've killed them and up until now... I've never even thought twice about it or wondered if they deserved to be killed. I mean I eat meat does that mean I'm evil and all the cows should come and kill me?"

"Those are some... harsh things but I'm sure you had good intentions and God's ability to forgive is great." Father said and it disturbed Dean how undisturbed he seemed.

"I'd believe that but honestly I'm not sure God cares. This is where the story gets crazy. A few years ago about 5 now I guess. I sold my soul to a demon, Lilith, to bring my little brother Sammy back to life. I went to Hell and in Hell... people say something is Hell, but they're wrong nothing is like Hell except for Hell. In Hell... I was tortured for 30 years and then, given the chance to get off the rack I tortured others. I told myself they were horrible people, they went to Hell because they were bad people, but I knew it wasn't true. I went to Hell for good reasons but once I was there I became as bad as the demons who dragged me there. A few more centuries and I probably would have become a demon. But God... he gave me a second chance. A legion of angels they saved me from Hell when I didn't deserve to be saved. They brought me back to life, to my brother, to my family, but the deed was done. By torturing people in Hell I'd broken the first of 66 seals. Because of me, because I was weak, Lucifer walked. I caused the Apocalypse. Then to make it worse... there is a special place in Hell father for those who know God's will for them and disobey and that's right where I'm going when someone lets me stay dead.

The angels told me I was the archangel Michael's vessel that he needed to possess me to fight Lucifer... who happened to be trying to possess my brother. Everyone told us it was our destiny, it was God's will it had to happen. I'm not sure whether or not it was God's will but it's my fault it's happening again. A teenage girl is in Hell as we speak trying to free Michael and it's my fault. If I'd just said okay and let Michael kill Lucifer we wouldn't be staring down the barrel of the Apocalypse again. I don't know if what I did was wrong, but it sure as Hell doesn't feel right. This is my confession father. I didn't say yes, I was selfish and now people have died and they will die. The worst part... I never would have admitted this if I didn't think it would help me stop the second Apocalypse."

"Dean. I have a question for you," Father began calmly, "You wouldn't have gone unless you were forced to you say and maybe that's true. But my question is now that you have gone do you believe your sins are forgiven?"

"No." Dean admitted, "I don't think what I've done, what I'm still doing can be forgiven. But I don't know maybe I feel like what I've done wrong... it doesn't matter anymore. I can move on and the things I've done aren't right, but they don't have to rule my future."

"Then congratulations Dean Winchester. You've done well my son and finished your trials."

"Wait... I never told you my name," Dean realized flipping his head to attention, "And how do you know these are trials I never mentioned that either."

Father laughed, "Of course I know your name and about these trials. I did create them after all. Are you there Dean? It's me, God."


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

G..God? No way. This man looked old but he wasn't that old... and he wasn't God. Of course he didn't think Dean was nuts because Father was nuts himself! He thought he was God. Yet...

"If I was not God how would I know your name? How would I know the trials? And how would I be able to finish your thoughts?" Father/God said with a smile. "You wound me Dean. You spend months completing trials to find me and when I find you you won't admit I exist! To be honest that's not really fair."

So God had a humor. Typical considering... everything.

"You ran away and left Heaven a mess. Now thousands of people and thousands of angels are dead because YOU RAN AWAY! You're supposed to be our father, someone we can look up to, but you left us with a mess!" Dean growled.

God however didn't even seem to hear his raised voice or harsh tone. "You, of all people Dean, should appreciate what I did. You are 'team free-will' I believe. The last time an angel used their free will it was Lucifer... and I cast him out of Heaven. I assumed the other angels understood that using your mind doesn't mean being cast out of Heaven. I only made Lucifer fall because well he wanted all the humans crushed like scum. Still the angels didn't understand and followed my orders to the tee. I wanted to give them the chance humans had for millenniums, the chance to decide for themselves. Freewill for man kind freewill for angels. It's not my fault the angels went off the reservation."

"But they were killing people, and Cas looked for you to help and you didn't show. They were killing innocent people. People are always dying and you've never, ever, lifted a hand to save them. How is that a loving God?"

"Dean. If I stopped people or angels when they made the wrong choice how is that free will? I'd be saying 'here make a decision for yourself but if it's not the right one then I'm going to reverse said decision and you'll do the other thing.' It's one or the other-free will or me stopping bad decisions and I chose to give you free will."

Dean couldn't believe his ears. God was saying he didn't help people so they could have free will? People died so someone else could have free will? How was that okay?

"You have to understand Dean that when I began creating things I knew they wouldn't be perfect, I knew they would make mistakes and hurt each other. Yet I made them and hoped that for once I was wrong, for once everything I knew would be wrong and maybe just maybe they'll do the right thing and it will work out. Every person doesn't always make the right decision, but I'd say most try. Still, you didn't undergo those trials for me to explain free will to you."

"But you're not going to help me are you? If you're all ''team free will' too you won't stop Charlotte because that would be taking away her free will. You're going to let her kill millions so she can decide. You won't even try to talk her out of it will you?"

God nodded, "It's not up to me to tell her who to trust and what to do. Still, I wish you hadn't wasted all this time searching for me."

"Wait... but these trials were your idea. Didn't you want us to come and find you?"

God's laugh sounded like the beating of a drum, " Of course I didn't want you wasting your time on a fool's errand. Chamuel knew I wouldn't stop Charlotte."

"Wait, are you saying Chamuel tricked us?" Dean asked anger flooding him. Stupid angels. Stupid Dean for trusting an angel. "He knew you wouldn't help us so he just sent me after you so I couldn't go after Charlie didn't he. Why? Why would he do that?"

God grimaced, "Let us just say Chamuel found Lucifer last time he was free, and both walked away unharmed."

"Chamuel is working with Lucifer? I should have known. I've got to go and find Charlotte before it's too late."

"Dean, it's already too late." God told him grimly. "Charlotte is at the door to the Cage as we speak. Hell is a train wreck. Vassagio and Crowley are already fighting for power, but Lucifer is rising to be ruler victorious again. I'm sorry Dean. It's too late. Lucifer is free."

No-no-no-no-no! He'd done all that, he'd killed Sam, and the song remained the same. Lucifer was free, Charlie, the uberpowerful was his vessel, and there was no way to stop him this time.

Dean began running from the Church practically able to feel the ground shaking beneath his feet. "You're wrong Dean." God called in the distance. "There is a way to stop Lucifer once and for all. Prophecies might not always be my will, but they are the future and can't be avoided!"

Dean didn't have time to stop and think about God's cryptic message; he had to get back to the bunker. The war was restarting and the Winchesters and Cas were the only ones left to fight it. How could a kid have caused all this trouble? Why did angels insist on the Apocalypse? What was Dean supposed to tell Cas and Sam?

Just as Dean began thinking of Sam Dean's phone rang Sam on the other end. "It's too late." Dean told him "Chamuel tricked us. He knew God wouldn't stop Charlie. It's too late she freed Lucifer while I was talking to God."

"We know," Sam told him and Dean realized for the first time that alarms blared in the background. "I hooked up a system to alert us of any place with demonic omens and the level of these omens. The graveyard where I jumped with Lucifer into the Cage just reached Apocalyptic. "

Cas grabbed the phone from Sam and spoke into it far too loudly, "Dean get back here quick we need to figure out the best course of action."

"We don't have time to talk Cas! We've got to do something!" Dean responded bitterly. Somehow, even without breaking any seals, Dean still knew he was responsible for the Apocalypse.

"We need to formulate an action plan. Michael will have grabbed Charlie and brought her far away from Lucifer to a place that's probably angel proof so even she can't leave. Lucifer can't do anything without a vessel and it will take him a while to get one. Stopping the Apocalypse is a marathon, not a sprint, and we need to regroup."

Dean knew Cas was right so he hightailed it back to the bunker to figure out how to stop the Apocalypse... again.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Dean opened up the bunker to discover they'd turned the alarms off but had projections of omens lining the walls. A map covering the roof highlighted specific town where Dean guessed the omens pointed to a vessel.

"These are the three most likely candidates. Chicago, New York City, and Coffee, Kansas. Who in those places we don't know but the omens have already started to pile on. It looks like Lucifer is circling in on a temporary vessel fast. Still we have one advantage we didn't have last time. Nick was the strongest vessel around, plan B. These would be C, D, and E. They will burn out quickly and he'll be weak in them which might help us get him back in the Cage. " Cas informed Dean.

"That is unless Charlotte says yes before we can get to him right? He'll be impossible to stop in her she's so strong on her own," Dean reminded them.

"It's true, but I doubt Charlie will say yes. She didn't mean to free Lucifer... she just didn't believe us when we said she would," Sam argued.

"Are you defending her?" Dean asked annoyed, "After what she did?"

"She didn't mean to free Lucifer! How is it any different from what I did. Both times everyone told me what we were doing was dangerous but both times we ignored them and freed the Lucifer. There is no difference. Charlie scr*wed up, majorly. But hopefully she won't mess up any more but inviting Lucifer in!"

Dean was about to reply when a familiar knock sounded at the door-the secret knock Kevin used. Cas quickly opened the door and Kevin ran in hair grown out again but face old with worry.

"Oh my God what did you guys do now? My brain burns everyone up there is talking nonstop and it's like they want me to hear them!" Kevin complained. The angel voices in his head would explain his pallor, but they didn't explain the girl who followed him in through Cas's open door.

"They do." Kevin turned to Charlie shrieking in surprise. "I can hear them too. The upstairs room is warded against angels and demons right? Kevin hide in there it will make Ariel's job of collecting you and hiding you in Heaven harder."

Kevin didn't know Charlie. Kevin knew the Winchesters didn't like Charlie. Still, her directions made sense so he did as she said and went to the warded room where no angel or demon could grab him for their various purposes.

As soon as Kevin moved out of the way Dean grabbed Charlie pining her arm behind her back. To his surprise, she didn't use any of her freaky angel or demon or whatever else she had in her but stood still as the boys grabbed her. Castiel clearly felt wrong manhandling Charlie whether it was because she was a kid, a girl, or a prophet no one knew, but even he helped restrain her.

"Chill boys," Charlie said sounding and looking older than her 15 years. "Lock me in a devil's trap if that would make you feel more comfortable. I'm just here to talk."

"Last time you were 'just here to talk' you let a hoard of demons on Cas and my tail!" Sam cried to Dean's bewilderment. He hadn't realized Sam and Cas had seen Charlie while he was unconscious but he guessed it made sense. They wouldn't have just sat by his bedside all day. They would have tried to find their own answers for when the God option didn't work out.

Sam picked the anemic girl up easily and carried her to the giant devil's trap. While he didn't chain her down he did through her in. Rolling her eyes in an attempt to not look as petrified as she was Charlie began speaking. "Nice to see you conscious Dean. How did your little chat with God go? I didn't get a chance to listen in, a bit busy being in Hell and all but from my own chats I can imagine it went something like-free will or a perfect world I chose free will. That daft look a yes?"

"Cut it out kid why did you come here? Are you already Lucifer's b*tch and just fooling us?" Sam asked terrified that Lucifer really was in the girl. He doubted it but he knew that angel, he had that angel inside him, and he knew that would be exactly the kind of thing Lucifer would do.

Charlie's veneer faded and her terror and sorrow shone clear on her face. For the first time since they'd met her in that hospital 3 months ago Charlie looked like your average teenage girl in the face of an Apocalypse you caused-that is to say terrified.

"Sam. Castiel. Remember how every time you found me you pleaded 'let us help you'?" Charlie's voice cracked along with her shell, "Can I still take you up on that offer?"

"You want us to help you?" Dean yelled, "After what you did! You started the Apocalypse that's not something that can just be forgiven. We warned you that Michael and Lucifer were in the same cage and you didn't listen. You are well beyond the point of asking for help!"

"Shut up Dean," Cas interjected, "It's not like you've never done something to start the Apocalypse."

"I just wanted to help my dad!" Charlie cried as she broke down into well deserved tears. "And I did, I freed Michael. Adam too is back in Heaven with his Mom. I didn't know I'd free Lucifer. I didn't know what would happen."

"You should have known! We told you!" Dean said secretly happy that she had freed Adam from the Cage. It was Dean's fault after all that he'd spent about 400 years Hell time in there. Adam deserved to be back at rest.

"Dean give her a break. You're just angry because she'd us all over again," Sam scolded his brother sympathetic to Charlie. Dean had a hand in the first Apocalypse but Charlie and Sam alone knew what it was like to have that on their shoulders and know that because of that the Devil wanted to ride them like a horse.

"It must be a tradition," Charlie muttered.

"It's not going to make them like you," Cas whispered stepping into the demon trap so he could be right next to the girl. "It might be better without them knowing."

Charlie shook her head at Cas and turned to the Winchester boys voice gravelly and face puffed. "Do you want to know why you should help me? The same reason you helped Sam when he did this."

"I helped Sam because he'd my brother and that what family does," Dean growled.

"If that's what family does then help me. Morganstern is my mother's name. I never met my father; he died when I was 8. He never even knew I existed. Still, my mom did a blood test when I was little in case she ever needed child support. When she found out he died she told me his name, John. John Winchester. You need to help me because you're the only family I've got. I'm your sister."


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"You're lying," Dean growled as he pulled Ruby's knife to her neck. Sam's voice flooded his ears telling Dean to let her go but Dean didn't care anymore, "Let some stupid son of a b*tch archangel come and protect her. I'd like a word with them myself."

"Dean. She's not lying let her go!" Castiel ordered. It had been almost a year since he lost his grace, but the sheer power of his voice never diminished

"You knew?" Dean said turning around to his friend. "You knew all along that we had a sister. That SHE was our sister and you never thought to mention it? It's a wonder I trust you at all Cas with everything you haven't told us.

"Dean calm down," Sam told him clearly not freaked at all by the news that he had other siblings. It was almost like he'd expected it. "We knew it could happen. God we know it did with Adam. What's to say it didn't happen again. You were born what 1998? Dad left us in Boston for weeks in '97. He never did say what he was up to and those pages were ripped out. I don't like it any more than you do, no offence, but it's possible."

"How did you even know?" Charlie asked Cas nonchalantly, "No creature I've ever met has. Archangels and God excluded."

"All the angels know. When it looked like Dean wasn't changing his mind and accepting Michael it was time for plan B. We needed someone from John Winchester's bloodline and besides Sam and Dean you were the only one alive. No one knew why your name was shot down so quickly by the archangels but I'm guessing it's because they didn't want to endanger their Prophet. " Cas informed her formally.

"Any other siblings we should know about or is she it?" Dean asked very, very annoyed.

"I'm it. Honest. And that my brothers brings us to our problem."

"Wait. We never said we were going to help you. Sure I always wanted a kid sister but I never expected... this. You're what half my age and not even human?" Dean scoffed causing Sam to glare at him.

"Help me, don't help me, it doesn't really matter just hear me out first," Charlie pleaded. When no one tried to kill her she took it as a sign to continue and began speaking. "First things first. Kevin. You have to understand that there are always 8 prophets on this earth. 7 normal ones and then the one who is like me. Not every prophet will be activated though in their lifetime because not everyone is needed. It's hard to explain but it doesn't really matter. All that matters is each prophet who is activated has a special set of skills. Kevin is a reader of the word. He reads God's tablets that's it. Even hearing the angels is weird for him which is why they must be forcing their voices into the mind of every prophet active or not.

Chuck's gift was seeing the future. But he didn't just see any future he saw the Apocalyptic future. A prophet like him is needed when Lucifer is free... or the 4 times that's happened. However, none of the other unactivated prophets have that gift, and no prophet can be activated with Kevin alive basically..."

"What she's saying is that my brothers are going to be looking for Kevin again, but not to protect him this time. They will kill him so they can bring back Chuck who's gift is better suited for this time," Castiel completed sounding more and more like his angel self in the presence of the Prophet.

"Is that true? Do the angels now want me dead too?" Kevin asked having snuck up on the others without them noticing. Dean was about to yell at him to get back to the angel proof room when 3 figures appeared.

"Thank you Charlotte," the leader, a 6 foot brown haired business man told the cowering girl. "How nice of you to go right to your brothers . All we needed to do was blast the angel radio into Kevin's head and you two ended in the same place."

"Ariel," Cas said through gritted teeth, "I should have known it would be you who would come and kill Kevin. That always was your style.

"Castiel. Last time we spoke you very much approved of my style as it helped you win the war in Heaven. Look where that got us both. Me, on grunt duty, and you... how's that search for your grace going?" Ariel let out a mischievous grin that caused Cas to bellow in fury.

"Where is it? Where are you hiding it?" Castiel demanded.

"Oh please brother like I'd be allowed to keep your grace from you. They know better than that. Actually... your dear friend Chamuel had it last I heard, but apparently Michael has already put him to rest so I'd assume it's with him."

(Everyone was too preoccupied to notice, but at the mention of Michael's name Charlie and Dean had a contest to see who could shiver in fear and anger more.)

"Oh and Sam. Don't even think about pressing your bloody hand to the banishing symbol on that door. I'd suspect being both banished and trapped wouldn't be too good for young Charlotte's health," Ariel warned without even looking away from the Winchesters. "Now, Kevin. I really don't want to kill you, I don't. Honestly you seem like a nice boy. But I'm sure you've been missing your mom and your girlfriend very much. Really it won't hurt a bit. You don't even have to technically die. I'll just rip your soul from your body and bring it with me up to Heaven. Though let me warn that anyone who tries to stop me will have their own souls ripped out and cast in a very different direction. I know a very nice reaper who'd be willing to bypass the usual system and give any Winchester a one way ticket to the oncoming 3 way civil war." Every angel Dean had ever met, Cas included, had gone nuts at one point or another, but from the sickly smile on Ariel's face Dean knew that there was no 'going nuts' for him. Just bat shit crazy.

"I could stop you. I will stop you to protect Kevin Tran." Cas growled in warning obviously not afraid of Ariel's soul ripping threat.

"Cas don't," Kevin said looking at Ariel not with fear but with hope, "Don't get hurt over me." Kevin turned to the Winchesters as he spoke, "I'm sorry but I'm not like you. I'm just Kevin Tran. I was in AP and I'm done. I miss my mom. I miss my girlfriend. There is nothing here for me but constant running and hiding and fighting. I don't want to see the Apocalypse. I'm just done. I'm sorry."

With that and a flash of light Ariel reached into Kevin's chest and disappeared. Sam arrived to grab Ariel just as Kevin's soulless and lifeless body hit the floor.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

As the Winchesters and Castiel burned the body of the young prophet Dean couldn't help but wonder how many more deaths would occur during this war and if he could have prevented them all by following the plan last time.

Despite Sam's assurances that Charlie was okay and they didn't need to keep her locked up Dean refused to let her leave the devil's trap. Who cared if the 25% of the blood in her was human and 50% of that blood was the same as 50% of theirs. Family isn't always blood and the girl had started the Apocalypse. She wasn't getting off that easily.

Dean refused to visit her, but Sam had grown quite fond of the young girl. He'd begun to understand her wretched life and lack of parental guidance and in doing so he understood why she was so willing to trust a demon. Michael was her father, he'd been there for her when she was in danger, he dragged her from the place she was kidnapped and transfused.

And like Sam she had demon blood in her and that demon blood had resulted in them freeing Lucifer and starting the Apocalypse. There are some things that if you have in common you can't help but be friends. Freeing the devil is one of those things.

After they returned from Kevin's makeshift funeral Sam went to bring her lunch as always. Dean didn't expect him to return for at least an hour, he never did preferring to ask Charlie to figure out what happened than thinking about how to fix her mistake. However Sam returned quickly looking frazzled and called Cas and Dean to come and see her.

Charlie sat on her mattress they'd given her bags under her eyes. Dean wondered if she'd slept at all since getting out of Hell and if the demon and angel blood mitigated her need for sleep. From the looks of her she hadn't gotten whatever sleep she needed but how you slept after freeing Satin when you know he's looking to jump your bones Dean didn't know. Honestly you probably didn't, Sam hadn't either.

"It's Chuck. He clawed his way out of the ground about an hour ago so I told him to come here and meet you."

"Wait, you can talk to him? How?" Dean asked.

Charlie shrugged, "I don't know if it's the angel blood or the Prophet blood but I can speak telepathically with any active prophet. I never used it with Kevin, figured it would freak him out too much, but Chuck had visions of me before it even happened so once it did... he reached out to me first. He's a good guy despite his love for the vices. "

Dean couldn't help but wonder if Chuck knew what would happen to Charlie how did the angels not. Or did the angels know and just not care enough to stop it?

"The thing is he's not going to make it here. When the angels stuffed him back in his body and reversed the decay they wiped the Enochian from his ribs. They will grab him long before he gets here so don't even consider going after him it's too late. You'll see him soon though, don't worry. Everyone will come together living or dead when the time comes."

"What does that mean?" Castiel asked, "You don't mean the final judgement do you? That couldn't possibly happen now could it?"

"I... I don't know." Charlie confessed, "Even I only see what God or his angels want me to. I see Lucifer, Michael, Bobby, Jo, Ellen, Chuck, and you three standing in a row watching something... I don't know what."

"Where are you?" Dean asked accusingly after noticing she conveniently didn't state she was there. "You're possessed by Lucifer aren't you? You said yes."

Charlie's cheeks went pink as she nodded cautiously... "Castiel. Sam. Would you leave me to talk with my oldest brother? I know how to win this war and it's all about the vessels."

Sam and Cas looked at Charlie dubiously, yet something in their voice told her that they were leaving for Dean's sake not hers so they relented. Once they were far from hearing range Dean took in the breath to berate her for what he didn't know when she stopped him.

"You're smart guy Dean. I take it you've wondered what's going to happen with vessels. Lucifer has taken a temporary one,a poor middle aged woman named Linda who once had it all and then lost it to her older brother. Still, that doesn't change the fact that sooner or later he's coming for me and I don't know when and I don't know why but the prophecies all say the same thing-I'm going to say yes. Hopefully, when I do, it's going to be on my terms but... Lucifer is well he's the devil isn't he so that says it all.

So... vessels. Michael can't just possess anyone, he's stronger than even Lucifer and even Lucifer has the advantage of living on someones hate. Michael is restricted he has to be in someone of my bloodline and to be at his strongest he has to be in someone who is a brother to me. That leaves him with 3 options. Adam has already been burned out he can't go that path again. That leaves him with you, Sam, or... Mike."

"Mike? Who in God's name is Mike?"

"He's my half-brother... on my mom's side."

"I thought you said you had no living family?"

"I don't. Mike is dead. The person who took me, who did this to me, took Mike to. He was their guinea pig they pushed him to the limits so they'd know what they could do to me without... without killing me," Charlie's voice cracked as she talked about her past horrors. "He died because of me."

"And they'll bring him back just like they brought Adam back,"Dean hated those sons of b*tches who couldn't even respect their own rules of death.

Charlie nodded, "They're not planning on doing it right away. He was 11 when he died and even with their power he'd still be 11 when they brought him back, not exactly ideal war machine an 11 year old boy even with Michael in him. Still... if you or Sam don't step up to the plate they will."

"I'm not saying yes to Michael and neither is Sam and neither is Mike once they bring him back. Just like you're not saying yes to Lucifer. It's not going to happen," Dean said confidence wavering as he thought of God's words to him. He'd said that while prophesies weren't always his will they were the truth.

"You're right," Charlie said (apparently angel really can read your mind so therefore she can too) "Everyone has seen you as Michael's vessel, I've seen you as Michael's vessel. The only problem is everyone thought it was going to happen the first time around, when Sam was Lucifer. They were wrong. It might not even happen this time around, I don't know, but it will happen, eventually you will be Michael's vessel just as Sam was Lucifer's and I will be Lucifer's."

"What ever happened to God's sacred free will?"

Charlie couldn't help it, she laughed, "We still get free will, we still make our own choices, the prophecies just tell us what we are going to decide before we know we're going to decide it. Here is the thing Dean. You don't have to be Michael's vessel anytime soon. It will happen, but not until you let it happen. I'm going to say yes to Lucifer, but I'm not going to just do it now because I know I'm going to do it eventually. I will plan and I will wait.

You don't have to say yes to Michael, but he will be in someone facing Lucifer in me. Even I haven't seen who that someone will be yet. So I'm pleading with you Dean, begging with you. Just as you'd say yes to Michael to save Sam from him save yes to Michael to save Mike. Not because he's my brother, but because he's just a little kid. Don't do it today, but when the time comes let it be you who I face and not Mike. Please, I will only ask for this one thing in my life, let it be you."

Dean had never broken a promise in his life, for Pete's sake he'd even kept his promise to Sam and ended him when he was no longer Sam. If he made this vow to his pleading sister now he would be keeping it. Of course Dean would never let Sam be Michael's vessel, but Mike... Dean didn't know Mike so how was it any different from Cas possessing Jimmy? A random stranger can save the world. Why should it be Dean when he sacrificed so much so he didn't have to be Michael's vessel before?

Yet, looking at Charlie, Dean knew he wasn't doing this for Mike, he was doing it to his kid sister who like it or not was his responsibility and here to stay. "Fine. I won't let it be Mike. When the time comes, don't you dare count this as an invitation you d**che bag, I will make sure it is me who says yes to Michael. Mike can stay at rest where he belongs, it will be me."

* * *

In case you're curious I wrote this because all I wanted throughout season 5 was Dean to say yes. I really, really wanted Dean saying yes, so this fan fic was born.


	18. Chapter 17

I think it says something about our fandom that my favorite number doubled when I killed someone... I love you guys.

* * *

Chapter 17

Sam and Cas looked to Dean when he returned for indication about what Charlie had said, but Dean let nothing slip. If he told them that he'd just agreed to say yes to Michael they'd lock him up just like the last time. For some odd reason no one objected to saying yes to Lucifer THE FR**KING DEVIL but saying yes to Michael who may or may not be good was completely out of the question.

As the boys sat trying to pinpoint where the angels would be keeping Chuck, a loud yowl sounded from where Charlie was. Everyone ran to find her standing half in, half out, of the devil's trap basically on the brink of death. Without a second thought Dean bent to the ground and broke the devil's trap which released Charlie to the floor where she lie on her hands and knees coughing up blood. Sam and Cas helped her to her chair as she tried to regain her strength. When the blood finally stopped pouring from her mouth Charlie looked up at her brothers and Cas guiltily.

"I thought," Charlie released another cough of blood," I could focus on my human and angelic qualities and I'd mitigate the demon enough to walk out of here." Charlie attempted a smile bit it got lost on her weak face. "It worked... sort of. But with practice I could do it, I could be basically human again. Now that I'm only split in thirds."

"What? What do you mean I thought you were in 4ths. Angel, Demon, human and vampire," Cas asked clearly worried about what it would mean.

Charlie shook her head. " Vampires can't go into Hell. A demon found a spell that would separate the bloods in my body so only the vampire could be removed. I'd expected to be 50, 25, 25 then but it didn't work out. All 3 bloods that remained replicated so now, even though I'm more human..."

"You're stronger than ever," Dean finished to let the girl catch her breath. What were the supposed to do with Charlie when everything about her just made things more and more difficult?

Charlie nodded tentatively. Everyone stood quietly for a moment around the girl before she finally felt well enough to explain what she'd been doing trying to get out of the trap in the first place. "I'm sorry for trying to leave. I wasn't trying to run away promise. I just needed to tell you something, something important and no one was hearing my yelling. Chuck got through to me and while he wasn't sure where he was I was able to pinpoint his location from the description... It's where they held me during the battle of Lucifer and Michael that never came to be. He's only a few hours from here in Topeka. I... I don't know if now is when we get him but I know he's with us in the future."

"How do we know we can trust you to actually be telling the truth and not just leading us into a trap? Maybe we're blood but you don't know our meaning of family," Dean asked warily. Sure, he'd say yes to Michael for her, but Dean wasn't going to risk Cas or Sam's life without good reason.

Charlie sighed not sure how to answer until a wide smile spread across her face, "I guess Dean you have to trust me for the same reason you trusted Jackie- because I know what's going on and am here to stay."

Dean let out a gruff sigh but finally agreed, "Okay. But we're fixing this Devil's trap and don't try to leave again because we won't help you next time. "

Cas and Sam exchanged confused glances as they wondered who on earth Jackie was and why she seemed to matter to Dean. Sam actually asked but Dean ignored the question not wanting to have to explain his complicated relationship with his conscience.

Charlie's look was so much like that of any other teenager Dean almost forgot she was only 1/3 human. "Come on. You're not actually going to leave me here. It's my intel!"

"Stop wining like a child, " Dean told her packing things up before Sam or Cas could suggest otherwise. "You're safer here and we're safer with you here. Unlike Jackie I can keep you away from me and so I plan on using that ability."

"Sorry Dean, but you're not leaving me here." Charlie said in such a matter-of-fact tone Dean should have expected what was to come next. "I mean you literally can't unless you know someone else who has angel blood which you need to even open the doors to the place. If you do then by all means leave me here to rot while you go off and get yourself killed because you thought you didn't need your little sister's help even if she is uberpowerful."

Dean glared, Sam chuckled, and Cas looked confused by her sarcasm. Finally Dean stepped aside allowing the girl to pass while muttering, "If you get any of us killed I'm going to kill you."

Charlie stuck her tongue out like the teenager she was before strutting confidently down the bunker halls like she hadn't just left a pool of blood in her wake. Leaving the baffled boys to wonder if the girl truly was that bipolar or just very, very messed up from her traumatic life story.

"This isn't going to end well is it?" Sam asked

Dean faked a smile as he replied to his rhetorical question, "We're Winchesters, when does it ever end well for us?"


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"This is it," Charlie told them a few hours later as they arrived at the Topeka warehouse she'd directed them to.

Sam looked at the derelict factory equivocally, "How can you know for sure? They all look the same to me." It was true for an hour now they'd been driving around the industrial district trying to find a sign of angels or Chuck. Due to the economic downturn many of the factories lie abandoned like this one, but so far none of them had been right.

Charlie looked surprised and she turned her head in confusion as she spoke, "You can't hear it?"

"Hear what?" Dean asked wondering if she had gone nuts in Hell or was just making things up. Castiel however seemed to understand.

"You mean the resonance. I can't hear it loud enough to translate what they're saying but I can feel a trace of the vibrations."

"Resonance… isn't that what you get when an angel isn't in a vessel?" Sam asked. If they were dealing with an angel at full power upon which they couldn't even look…. There was no way any of them were getting out alive.

Charlie shook her head, "No, if there was an angel without a vessel in there I'd feel it. I think," she let out a deep gulp of worry, "I think it's just coming from the sheer number of angels inside. Dozen, at least. Highly trained and deadly. They will kill us and then bring whoever they need as vessels back leaving the rest dead as a doornail."

"Can you understand what they're saying?" Cas asked hoping that they'd at least have the advantage of knowing thy enemy.

Charlie shook her head and let out a weak laugh, "No. They must know I understand Enochian so…. They're speaking in French. The one class I ever failed."

"Great," Dean muttered thinking to himself for a second. He was about to issue the attack plan when Charlie took the lead.

"Chuck however, does speak French. Who would know," she said with a laugh. "He's not hearing the entire conversation but from what he's got the doors need angel blood to be opened so they're not covered considering the fact that the only angel they'd expect to attack this place would be Lucifer who's barely in his vessel. They're going to have to stop underestimating me aren't they? We can get inside no problem, but Ezekiel, who let me tell you is as powerful as Zachariah, is with Chuck and there is no way we're getting to Chuck without going through him."

"So we'll just have to fight then won't we?" Dean said with a surprised smile. "We've got an angel blade and 4 more angel bullets. Cas take your blade. Sam you've got the gun."

"I've got my powers but what have you got Dean?" Charlie asked not liking where this is going. "If an angel gets their hands on you they'll tear you apart! And if you say you've got a GED and a give them Hell attitude so help me God I'll tear you apart myself."

Dean let out a weak smile, "There goes my line then. Doesn't matter I won't need a weapon. Sam and Cas will keep the goons occupied while you and I go after Chuck. You don't need your hands to use your powers right?"

"No…" Charlie replied bewildered, "Why does it matter?"

With a flash of his hands Dean latched the cuff to Charlie's left wrist and his right. She flashed him a glare full of spite which just caused him to laugh. Charlie didn't get how he could be so nonchalant when they all might just die, but she guessed it must come with time. No way in Hell had Dean always been this fearless. Though, upon consideration, Charlie realized Dean didn't care not out of bravery, but because he almost hoped he'd die and not have to face his promise of saying yes to Michael. A promise which he was already starting to regret.

"This really isn't necessary you know. It's not like I'm going to run off and end the world."

The look on the boys face when she spoke caused Charlie to huff in reply as she maneuvered to follow Dean out of the Impala and to the warehouse. It might not seem it, but running while handcuffed to another person was d*mn hard, but Charlie managed because she had no other option. Either she ran with Dean, or she fell causing them all to die. Sure, Charlie knew as a fact she'd just be brought back to life, but really, not dying in the first place was as good a plan as any.

Taking Ruby's knife from where Dean stowed it in his side pocket, Charlie ran the cool blade along her hand barely wincing in pain. After a quick check to make sure no angel was right on the other side of the door, Charlie forced her palm against the door.

Burning light surrounded the hinges as the blood trickled through a compound that opened the lock. With a deep breath and Dean chained to her side Charlie stepped into the warehouse where she'd once been prisoner in hopes of freeing another from the same fate.

The corridors were long and gray but dusty enough for Charlie to know they'd picked an unused door. Sam and Cas took off in opposite directions while Dean and Charlie made their way carefully to the center of the warehouse where they'd once held Charlie. She refused to speak any more of her time here except to say it happened, but Dean got the impression the angels didn't just let her walk out of there once Lucifer and Michael were locked in the Cage. No, Charlie had fought her way out all those years ago and something had happened. Something she didn't want to speak about.

"You know. This would be a whole lot easier if you'd release me," Charlie hissed after she stumbled for the 3rd time in her failing attempt to match Dean's strong strides with her body that was over a half foot shorter.

Dean glared at her but remained silent as they listened to the echoing sounds of fighting coming from Sam and Cas's distractions. Worry creased Dean's face as he thought about Sam with only 4 bullets and he picked up the speed causing Charlie to struggle even more. She wasn't weak, and she wasn't slow, but Charlotte Morganstern was very, very short.

By listening to the amount of resonance coming from a hallway Charlie guided her and Dean through an empty maze without facing any angels. However, when they finally reached the door that Charlie once again had to use her blood to open Dean knew they'd be facing Ezekiel who from Charlie's description and Cas's winching at the name Dean knew he wouldn't like.

"It sounds like it's only Ezekiel in there… if you'd release me I could keep him occupied while you grab Chuck. He'll be scared of hurting me because the whole Prophet thing has come out and even Ezekiel couldn't fight off an archangel if they came to protect me… which they won't because Michael is p*ssed at me and so are they for good reason…"

Dean looked at Charlie suspiciously trying to gauge whether or not she could be trusted. Sure, she'd started the Apocalypse, but they all had in one way or another stated an Apocalypse. Yet… Charlie wasn't human and Dean had a very hard time trusting anything that wasn't human. She had demon blood in her, how could he possibly trust Charlie when she was 1/3 demon? Still, he didn't have another option so Dean unlocked the cuff and Charlie opened the door.

Ezekiel was on the other side of the room pacing until the door opened. His vessel was that of a young man, probably no older than 20, with dark hair and dark, lifeless, eyes. Ezekiel smiled sickly and made his way past where Chuck was handcuffed to a bar towards the new arrivals.

"I should have known you'd be the one to come for him. Charlotte Morganstern, Heaven's newest celebrity. I probably should be honored to meet you, after all I hear you have God on speed dial, but considering the fact that you just jumpstarted the Apocalypse I'm guessing he's not answering. I see you've teamed up with your brothers. Typical Winchester move. It's nice to finally meet you, my brother Zachariah told me oh so much about you and your 'team free will'."

"And Zach learned his lesson with messing with us didn't he?" Dean countered not moving towards Chuck as he waited for someone to make the first assault. "How's he doing these days? Oh right. He's dead. Why don't you release Chuck over there and let us walk away or I swear to God I'll make sure you join him real soon."

Ezekiel seemed to find Dean's threats amusing because he laughed as he snapped his fingers causing Dean to fall to the ground in agony. Charlie quickly made her way to his side and healed his broken leg, but the point was across. They were at a stale mate.

"Dean, Charlie go. I'll be fine it's not like they're going to kill me. They brought me back once and it's a pain to do again," Chuck told them.

"Wouldn't bet on that Chuck," Charlie said moving cautiously against the wall towards him an Ezekiel. "They don't really understand the concept of protecting their prophets here trust me on that."

"Oh. Go ahead leave. I'll call my garrison off and you can walk out of here relatively unscathed." Ezekiel promised.

"Charlie. You said you weren't sure now was the time. Maybe we should come back," Dean suggested. He didn't understand why she seemed so worried. Why on earth would Chuck be in danger?

"Not an option Dean. Chuck knows more than Heaven does and they will do anything to know the outcome of this war. Why else would they keep us Prophets if not to use us?" Charlie told him and Dean understood why she was so scared of this place. They hadn't just held her here to keep her safe, they angels had tortured her for information just like they'd do with Chuck. Not all prophecies came from the angels, some came from the source, and Ezekiel would do anything to know what the source was saying.

Before the conversation could go on Charlie made her move by unlocking Chuck's handcuffs. Ezekiel however predicted it and slammed the quick moving Chuck against the wall where he'd come from. Dean rushed to Chuck's side as Charlie and Ezekiel strained both trying to injure the other with their minds. Upon realizing just how equal their powers were Charlie did something so stupid and reckless not even Ezekiel could predict it- she rushed him.

Maybe he was one of the most powerful angels left, but in that vessel Ezekiel was small and by catching him off guard Charlie was able to knock him to the ground in a blaze of fists. Dean and Chuck made their move as Charlie held down Ezekiel with her demonic telepathy. As soon as the boys where clear Charlie made her run for it escaping just in time to hear Ezekiel's promise.

"It's not like last time where we wanted Sam to say yes! We'll kill you before you can because in you Lucifer might just win!"


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Dean, Charlie and Chuck quickly made their way towards the exit no longer flying under the radar. Lucky for them they had Charlie who would fling an unsuspecting angel away before they could attack, but the same trick wouldn't work twice and they needed to get out of there quick.

Cas and Sam were supposed to wait for them in the Impala but the others ran into them first. Cas held Sam over his shoulders and everyone could see that he was gravely injured. Dean and Chuck pushed past a still-fighting Charlie as they moved to help get Sam out of there and far from the angels.

None too soon they found themselves outside the building and praying that their preparations hadn't been washed away Charlie tossed a lighter. A ring of holy oil burned around the entire building locking every angel inside. It wouldn't last forever, nature or man would put it out, but it was a good enough bulwark against the angels for them to stop.

Sam was hurt, like fatally injured, and his consciousness had long since faded. Blood boiled inside him from the tremendous amount of wounds inflicted upon him by the angels after he ran out of magic bullets. Cas had gotten him before they could kill him, but it was bad and he wasn't going to last any longer.

"Let me through," Charlie said to the others attempting to push to Sam's side.

"You stay away from him!" Dean cried to her. "It's your fault we came here anyways! Castiel! What are you just doing standing there! Heal him!"

"I can't Dean," Cas reminded quietly. "But Charlie can."

"No!" Dean told them pushing Charlie away in his worry. He didn't care that she could help Sam now. All he knew was it's her fault Sammy was hurt in the first place.

Luckily, Chuck and Cas both still had their brains on their heads and they pulled Dean off his dying brother so Charlie could get through. Pressing her hands against Sam's chest Charlie became surrounded by a brilliant light stronger and brighter than even the healing power of Michael. When she was done Sam, while still unconscious, no longer had blood oozing from his mouth. He'd be okay.

"Like I said. I can heal. Easy as pie," Charlie said with a laugh before falling to the ground in exhaustion.

"We should leave her here," Dean said furious about what her actions had done to them even if she'd fixed Sam's wounds.

None of them blamed him, and none of them were ready to jump to Charlie's defense, but finally Cas looked at Dean and said calmly, "She's already proven how gullible and easy to persuade she is. We'd be delivering that right into the hands of Lucifer and his demons if we left her."

With a sigh Dean picked her up, far too gently for his words of malice to be true, and carried her to the car. "Come on. Let's pack these sleeping beauties up and hit the road before the fire department arrives."

Even though the Impala was fuller than it's been in a very long time the car ride back to the bunker was silent. When they arrived Sam had awoken enough to both walk in himself and carry the still unconscious Charlie back to her devil's trap room. When he came back to the main area after dropping her off he looked worried, but not over his own injuries or their many problems, but Charlie. Like it or not she was his little sister and annoying and dangerous as she was she had her virtues too.

"Will she be okay?" he asked almost rhetorically. No one knew but Cas spoke quietly sounding a lot like his old angel self.

"The light she used to heal you is called provenience. The brighter it is, the more energy it uses. Until today I would have said only an archangel tapped 100% into Heaven could shine so bright. Charlotte was pulling from her own reserves, not Heavens and the amount of energy she used is terrifying. It's terrifying that she needed it."

"So I wasn't wrong," Chuck whispered for the first time since they rescued him. "Sam was already gone and she brought him back."

"So it would seem." Castiel told them with a nod. "So it would seem."

"So she can bring the dead back to life now!" exclaimed Dean. "Is there anything that girl can't do because I'd like to know what for when we have to fight her."

"You won't have to fight Charlie, that's not her way. I've known her for as long as I've known you, longer technically. She might be scary. She might be powerful, but she isn't going to fight you."

"She's fought us before," Sam reminded them. "While Dean was out doing his trials we fought her multiple times."

"Trust me Sam. If you're alive them she wasn't really fighting."

Everyone was quite for a minute before Dean changed the subject. "Speaking of being alive… what the Hell happened to you Chuck? Last time we saw you was before Sam went to hell and then poof you're dead and we're dealing with Kevin."

Chuck looked uncomfortable, no wonder, he was talking about how he died and it wasn't exactly the most honorable death. "I might have over dosed."

"By accident? Or on purpose?" Sam asked quietly.

"I saw this. I saw what Charlie would do. The angels didn't seem to know so I figured they wouldn't feel the need to bring me back, they'd let another take my place. I didn't want to have to live through the Apocalypse twice."

"None of us do," Dean told them annoyed. "Come on, it's time to wake Snow White up from her poison apple nap."

To their surprise Charlie was already awake when they entered her bunker. She sat on her bed playing "the Cup Song" with her hands clearly bored out of her mind.

"Oh. You're back. I take it despite the fact I saved Chuck from torture and brought Sam BACK TO LIFE I'm a prisoner again." Charlie was trying to sound nonchalant, but the annoyance clearly was starting to get to her.

"It's your fault he was killed in the first place!" Cas told her grudgingly.

"Cas," Sam began but Cas ignored him.

"My fault Castiel! You're just mad because you could heal him yourself because you lost your grace."

"And if it hadn't been for the archangels shirking their duty over you Kevin would never have been captured by Crowley and we wouldn't have gone looking for metatron alerting that psycho to the state of Heaven!" Cas flared back with gritted teeth.

"Oh give me a break!" Charlie cried, "Don't act like you're angry because Sam got hurt. The only reason you ever started helping Sam and Dean in the first place was out of pure selfishness because you know it's your fault us Winchesters are vessels!"

The words were spit out in fury by a lying part demon. No one would have believed them if it weren't for the guilty look on Castiel's face and his biting remark, "You know nothing of that."

"Wait. Cas. What does she mean it's your fault we're vessels. I thought it was just in our bloodline," Dean asked stepping close to his friend but also concerned that there was another thing the ex-angel had forgotten to mention.

"You don't know?" Chuck asked surprised, "I thought you read all of the books."

"We did. Cover to cover even though we'd lived through them. Why?" asked Sam.

"You didn't read Mattias did you?" Charlie asked clearly feeling guilty for bringing it up but knowing now that it was out it was out.

"What's Mattias? Those books are our life shouldn't we know what's in them?"

"Mattias wasn't in the main series. It talked about your lineage…dating back to the time of Cain and Abel."

"I remember now. That's when Michael said it came into our bloodline. Are you saying Cas was responsible for that? How?" Dean told them quietly not wanting to believe that Cas had done this to them from before they were even born.

"It's hard to explain… but I could show you?" Charlie told them stepping closer.

"Even if you hadn't just drained yourself I don't know any angel who can go back that far. Not even Michael." Cas warned not wanting the Winchesters to know the truth.

"Good thing time travel isn't solely an angel ability," Charlie told them faking a smile. She knew this might kill her, but her brothers needed to understand how they got into this mess so they could understand how to get out of it. "Vassgio has the unique ability to jump to any point in his timeline, past or future, which, if I'm correct, he gave to me. I can go anywhere he ever was or will be. So there we will go. Back to the beginning."

Without waiting for their seal of approval Charlie touched her hands to her brother's foreheads sending the three Winchesters hurtling through time to learn the truth.


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

"What the Hell Charlie!" Dean cried as they landed in the distant past. Looking around none of them could believe their eyes. Trees sat everywhere, all short like they'd just started to grow… because they had. This was the beginning of time, this was beyond pre-history. Dean began looking around for dinosaurs to take a picture on his phone when he remembered a long forgotten history lesson where humans and dinosaurs never lived at the same time. Shucks.

"When are we?" Sam asked looking around in awe.

Charlie shrugged, "I don't know exactly… 31 years after Chamuel kicked Adam and Eve out of Eden is how Chuck described it in the book. So… a really long time ago."

"This is amazing," Sam the history nerd said until he heard the wrenching sobs.

A young woman, more a teenager, stood by two burning bodies wrapped in leaves. "That's Artemis, the only child of Abel. Cain killed her father only days after she was conceived, but she was conceived. Now, not only is her father dead and her mother long gone with a new man her husband, Mattias and son Samuel are dead."

"Samuel?" Sam asked and Charlie smiled.

"It's been a family name for a very long time."

"Who killed Mattias and Samuel?" Dean asked.

"Who do you think?" Charlie replied turning away. "Over there, you see the short man, actually he's tall for this time. That's him. That's Vassagio, the second demon ever created. Like Lilith he was twisted from a human soul by Lucifer even before he died though unlike Lilith who has stayed in Hell Vassagio is free."

"So our great, great, ancestors were killed by your demon daddy?" Dean rebuked. "Typical."

"They're my ancestors too!" Charlie rebutted.

"So Vassagio killed Mattias and Samuel. Not pleasant being killed by a demon but not rare either. How is that Cas's fault and how did that make us vessels?" Sam asked.

"Not rare," Charlie stuttered, "You do realize how many people are dead at this point right? Five- Abel, Lilith, Vassagio, Mattias, and Samuel. Maybe in 2013 it's not rare but now… now death is still a vague concept. People still think they will live forever, they don't know everyone dies because at this point no one has died naturally. Only brutally."

It took a while for it to sink in just how early this was. Once Charlie was confident they understood she began speaking again. "You see that white light over those trees?"

They nodded, "It looks like your providence." Dean remarked.

"Very good Sherlock Homes. That's your friend Castiel, without a vessel. There are no vessels yet, no need. Everyone can still look upon and hear an angel without any danger, there hasn't been enough sin or time for that to change. Vessels have yet to be needed so Cas is free… and in trouble.

If I remember Chuck's book it's Ezekiel who is punishing him. I wish I'd gone farther back but I guess I'll just have to tell you what happened. You ever heard the term guardian angel? Well at one point, long ago before God went AWOL and Heaven broke down everyone DID have a guardian angel. Castiel was assigned as Vassagio's, when he was human that is. It was Cas's job to teach him right from wrong, teach him how to survive, and protect him from Lucifer who hasn't been locked away yet. That didn't happen until 33 AD but that's a different story."

Sam made the connection but didn't say anything. The story of Jesus was definitely not something he wanted to go into today.

"So basically," Dean summarized, "Vassagio got turned into a demon because Cas didn't do his job. Yikes buddy, yikes."

Charlie nodded, "In his defense he was in Heaven fighting about giving the humans fire. As you can see he won that battle, but not quick enough to be around to protect Vassagio."

"So when Naomi said that he'd been rebelling for a long time… she meant it?" Sam stated flabbergasted about how much a rebel Cas was.

"Yes. He never rebelled against God's orders, but he never trusted the archangels. Smart fellow."

"Okay so I get how it's Cas's fault Mattias and Samuel are dead, but how did that make us vessels?" Dean asked wanting to get on with it.

"Mattias and Samuel died 3 days ago. Artemis hasn't slept since they died," Charlie began and Sam, who has heard the story enough times, took over.

"She's hunting Vassagio for revenge."

Charlie nodded and Dean looked impressed and amazed. "So the first hunter was our great great-great to the billionth power grandmother. "

"Is it just me or are you more surprised by the fact it was a woman than your relative?" Charlie asked indignantly. Dean didn't reply, but that was enough of an answer. Sexist pig. "Whatever, come on. I didn't bring us back in time to tell you what was happening. I brought you back in time to show you what happened."

Sam and Dean followed Charlie as she approached Artemis fearlessly. She looked up and spoke in a language which to Sam and Dean's surprise they understood. "I do not know you. I thought I knew everyone."

"We are from far away," Charlie told her with a gentle smile.

"You are very old and tall," Artemis said to Sam and Dean causing Charlie to choke on her laughter and Sam and Dean to look indignantly at each other. "Which of these are your father?" she asked Charlie.

"Um neither actually. These are my half brothers." Charlie told her with a laugh.

"We're very sorry about your family," Sam told the child widow.

"So am I, but I will get my revenge on the white eyes creature who did this. He stands over there, proud and strong, but if he can kill my husband and baby with a flick of his hand then I can kill him with something."

With that Artemis took off leaving Charlie to answer her brother's flood of questions.

"How can we understand her? It's not like they had English back then… back now." Sam asked.

"This is before the Tower of Babel," Charlie explained, "It's hard to understand from our viewpoint but at this point no matter what language you speak you will be understood because God has not created barriers in our minds so we can't understand yet. If that makes any sense."

It didn't but Dean was eager to change the subject.

"Why did you bring us back here? You could have just told us all of this."

"I brought you back because I've read Mattias… no names were mentioned but in the story it was said 2 tall men and a tall woman, I know I'm tall back now, came and taught Artemis how to trap a demon, even if they couldn't help Artemis kill him because Ruby's knife is back in the bunker and salt won't be invented for years and… we can bind him, that's it. But trust me we won't need to do anymore than make a devil's trap and then the rest will be taken care of."

Sam and Dean still didn't know if they trusted Charlie, but they didn't have the option, not to in pre-historic times, so they did as she said. Heading in the same direction Artemis went they saw her and quickly ran to catch up.

When they did Dean spoke to the startled Artemis, "It was a demon who killed your family, by the name of Vassagio."

"I know. Only such a great evil could have pure white eyes."

"My siblings and I… we know a bit about demons," Sam told her. "We could teach you how to make this thing called a devil's trap it won't kill the demon, but once a demon steps inside it is powerless and cannot get out unless the devil's trap breaks."

Artemis seemed weary, understandable when a stranger just killed her family and a non-stranger killed her father. However, like any other hunter, her determination for revenge overpowered her good judgment. "You will come to my house and show me how to make this devil's trap. I will bind the demon and starve it to death if I have to."

No one wanted to crush her hopes by telling Artemis that you can't starve a demon to death. Let her dream.

Her 'house' was literally a bunch of sticks piled together by mud. "The angel Ariel showed me how to build it," she said proudly, "I do not know where he is. Usually he is around. Where are your angels?"

No one wanted to let Artemis know that there would come a time when you wouldn't want an angel hanging around so they went with the simple I do not know answer which she accepted even if she didn't believe. One track mind must be genetic… even thousands of generations back because she could have passed for any modern day Winchester.

"We need something to draw with," Dean told her. "Something that is not easy to wipe away or get destroyed."

Artemis thought for a moment before disappearing into her hut. She returned with two dead snails. Charlie gasped as she took them into her hands. "I was going to use these to dye Samuel's clothes so I could always see him when he wandered off. He does not need them now."

Dean was about to ask what help a snail would be when Charlie cracked open the shell dripping purple dye everywhere. Setting to work a medium size devil's trap was drawn in the fields by the house. It wasn't obscured at all so they had to hope Vassagio didn't know what a devil's trap could do because if he did they were scr*w*d.

"How will this hold him in? There are no walls," Artemis pointed out causing them all to smile.

"Demons can't be held by walls," Sam told her, "But magic can hold them. This is magic."

"If it would have protected my family why did the angels no teach it to me?" Artemis asked.

"Keep asking that question," Dean whispered too loud, "I still ask that question."

"Come," Charlie said. "We'd better go it will soon be dark."

Dean and Sam said their goodbyes to the first hunter before following Charlie past to the treeline where she sat on a boulder clutching her head in her hands.

"You okay?" Dean asked.

"I'm fine," She replied too quickly. "God is just yelling at me for breaking every single rule in the book… you know. The usual."

Sam remembered what it felt like when Lucifer yelled in his head and wished, for Charlie's sake, that she had a hand wound to press that would make him go away. Yet she didn't, because unlike the Lucifer in his mind, the God in Charlie's was real.

"Will Vassagio come for Artemis?" Dean asked as the sun began to set and the hunters of this time came out.

"When does a demon ever let prey slip away and not try again?" asked Charlie rhetorically. It was almost sad how a demon wouldn't change in a million years… literally.

The Winchesters sat and as they did the question Charlie had been avoiding was asked, "So how are we any different from the hundreds of others who have to be related to Artemis too?"

"It's on both sides of our blood," Charlie told him resigned to them learning the truth upon inquiry. "We are the only 3 people who will ever be born who every single person in our bloodline is on both sides related to Artemis."

"That wasn't chance," Dean told her.

"No, it was cupids. Millions of cupids making sure our ancestors got together so we'd be born. Lucifer's vessels and Michael's vessel. The perfect 3."

"Are you related to us on both sides?" It wasn't a question but a conclusion. Charlie had to be or no amount of cupids could make it so she was a perfect vessel too.

"Yes. Our mothers are sisters," she told them softly.

"Our mom was an only child. She told us that. We saw that when we went back in time," Sam reminded Charlie and she nodded.

"Mary was an only child, but only after my mom was possessed by a demon at age 12. The demon rode her cross country until finally a hunter exorcized it. She… she never wanted the life of a hunter so she took it as an opportunity to get out. Mary never knew she was alive and it wasn't until she met your dad that my mom knew Mary was dead."

"Did dad know?" Dean said disgusted. "Did he know he was hooking up with mom's sister?"

Charlie shuttered, "Never asked… but I'd guess so. The two people who loved her most comforting each other…Yeah you're right. Creepy."

Night fell and the rustling of prehistoric creatures sparked worry to spread through Dean, "Charlie, I know the dinosaurs are all gone, but what else in these woods would have no qualms eating us?"

Charlie chucked, "Almost everything. Don't worry. I'll protect you."

Dean scowled and Sam laughed. Dean was a fully trained hunter; he didn't need his little sister who was half his age protecting him. Dean was about to protest as much when he heard Artemis's yowl, "Come and get me you unholy being! End me the way you ended them!"

Through the dusk light the Winchesters could just barely make out Vassagio's swaggering walk and Artemis flying through the air without Vassagio even looking at her.

Gently pressing her hands against their chiseled chests Charlie stopped her brothers from revealing them. "She'll die," Sam hissed.

"No she won't," Charlie assured, "This isn't TV time isn't fluent and history doesn't change. Artemis will live. We are proof of that."

The boys didn't look happy but for the first time ever they actually trusted her.

Charlie could see Artemis running about in an attempt to lure Vassagio into the devil's trap. It must have worked because a cry of surprise sounded through the moonlit sky.

"We should go over there. Exorcize him. Let him rot in Hell until the Egyptian era at least," Sam suggested as he moved into their line of sight.

"Sam!" Charlie hissed, "Get back here! We're not needed just watch."

"That Devil's trap isn't going to hold forever Charlie. And then all it will have done is make Vassagio mad."

"I'm serious. Get back here. It's not Vassagio or Artemis you don't want seeing you, it's him!" Charlie pointed to the pure white light which began to shine down upon Artemis and Vassagio. The boys withdrew quickly fully aware of who and what it was.

"That's an angel," Dean told them unnecessarily. "That's Michael isn't it?"

"Yes," Charlie confirmed. "That's Michael." Longing lined her voice as she thought of the angel who'd been like a father until he renounced her.

"What's he saying?" Dean asked even though he already had a fairly good idea. All the puzzle pieces were finding their places.

"What do you think?" Charlie replied far more harshly than Dean deserved, "Michael is telling Artemis that nothing can kill a demon but, if she says yes and allows him into her, together man and angel can banish the demon from this earth in a spell that will be used until there are no demons any longer."

"And she says yes," Sam concluded with a nod, "She became the first vessel."

"And by doing so anyone with her blood can be a vessel. The more powerful the angel, the more blood of Artemis is needed. So for Michael, the most powerful angel…."

"To be his true vessel you have to have no blood of Cain. Just like us," Dean finished.

Charlie nodded, but didn't speak. Instead she turned back towards Vassagio and Michael just in time to see the first demon exorcism. The black smoke which billowed from inside Vassagio worried Charlie as she remembered a nightmare where she was no more than that black smoke of a demon, where Charlie was no more than her demon blood.

Pushing the dream away Charlie had just enough time to swear before Dean and Sam noticed Michael looking right at them through the dark forest.

"You are not of this time." When he spoke, Michael was far too close to them for anyone's liking. Stupid teleportation.

"No, we're not. There was just a lesson to be learn and now that the lesson has been learnt we will go home," Charlie told Michael trying not to display either her sadness and betrayal or joy at hearing him speak to her again. (Even if he was a she in Artemis's vessel.)

"You are a prophet," Michael stated, "And you are vessels."

"Yes. I am the Prophet from my time period and we are all pure descendents of Artemis."

"My father told us one day there would be prophets, but I do not know much of prophecy," Michael confessed completely entranced by Charlie. The boys didn't complain no one wanted Michael to look to closely at them and somehow know that in the future they weren't on the best of terms.

"The first prophet will not be born for hundreds of years," Charlie told him, "But when he is born you will know and you and the other archangels will protect him just as you will protect all prophets up to my day."

"You are not human," Michael realized suddenly, "You have my blood running through your veins and that of Vassagio too! How is that possible?"

Charlie looked apologetically at her brothers but did what the prophecies said she would. What Chuck's book said she'd do. What Charlie was born to do. She spoke a prophecy, the first prophecy, and the last prophecy.

"There will come a time when three perfect descendents of Artemis will be born within the same generation. Their names will be Samuel, Dan and Charlotte Winchester and before their final death they will all be vessels. Sam will free Lucifer from his cage and become his vessel, I,Charlie, will do the same. Dean however will follow the path of light and become the vessel of Michael, your vessel as you travel to the final battle with Lucifer. The final battle between the first born angels, Michael and Lucifer, will ensue and only one will survive. So it will be. So it will always be. On this day, I Charlotte Winchester proclaim it as God has told me."


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Dean and Sam were furious at Charlie. What was she doing? All she had to do was not speak the prophecy and then they would all be normal people, normal, happy people.

Charlie had her reasons, she wasn't ready to speak them aloud, but her free will let her do as God told her during their first chat she would. God never told her whether or not it was His will for her to speak the prophecy; just that she would. And He was right because she did just that. It was better than trying to fight destiny and it was the only way. The only way for Charlie to get the one thing she still cared about. The one thing she needed. She had a deal, and she'd fulfill her end so the other member would fulfill theirs.

Upon hearing Charlie's prophecy Michael pressed his hands to Sam and Charlie's foreheads sending them hurtling back to 2013. Dean however he left standing in front of him.

"I have a feeling we have had his conversation before, haven't we?" Michael told Dean who stood warily in front of him. Sure, in that vessel he was about 3 feet tall and a 15 year old girl, but Dean still felt the same power that had radiated from him when Michael possessed his father or Adam. This was Michael and Michael never changed even in his varying vessels.

"I don't know what conversation we're going to have," Dean lied. "So I can't answer that for you."

Maybe it was time that caused Michael to grow harsh and bitter, or maybe it was just the Apocalypse making him cranky, but now, as Dean faced Michael in Artemis, he smiled.

"You're trying very hard to not show how terrified you are of me. I do hope it is what I will need from you and not what I have done to you that is causing that fear."

Dean snorted but then realized that Michael never did anything to him. Sure, every time they spoke he had a stick up his *ss but Michael had, in general been nice. At least he never hurt Dean and had brought Sam back to life. Dean just couldn't like Michael because he wanted to ride Dean to kill his siblings.

"I'm sure these circumstances aren't very fun for you, but I believe they must be necessary. I do not know what my brother will do in the future, but I know what he did I Heaven, the first time we fought."

Dean couldn't help but be curious to what went down all that time ago and turned to Michael attentively. Maybe knowing the past could help them stop Lucifer now.

Michael seemed to know that would be Dean's answer so he sat down casually on a rock and began.

"When our Father created everything he first created Heaven, and then, even before he created the Universe, he created the angels. I, was the first angel, and then Lucifer. For all the time it took for the Universe to evolve from the original spark God gave it to the point where it gave us man we were happy. Lucifer was my brother as Sam is yours. We loved each other and we loved our father. Then, man evolved and God created the first two souls as he has every soul since. Gently he morphed the souls giving Adam and Eve their emotions, their interests, their humanity. Any being could see that the humans were different from anything else God created. Still, we knew internally what the future would hold for humanity. We saw your wars, your violence, your death and then our Father told us to love you violent, imperfect beings more than him.

I, as any good son would do, obeyed. I trusted my Father and knew that he had a plan far bigger than anything we could understand. Lucifer however became jealous. Why should angels who sit by the throne of God himself love, and honor beings that would have no qualms about hurting their brother if it meant getting ahead themselves. So, Lucifer went to our father and told him he would not honor and adore the humans for, unlike Him, they were not perfect and worthy of adoration." Michael's face grew sad as he continued on with his story.

"Our father grew angry at Lucifer and said that if Lucifer really loved God as much as Lucifer said he did then he would obey God's wishes and trust that God knew what He was doing.

Still, Lucifer refused. Together with 1/3 of the angels in Heaven Lucifer rebelled against God saying that he must be wrong because it was wrong for the angels to honor humans. My brother's army attacked those who stayed faithful to God. I was appointed the commander to protect those angels who followed and trusted our Father. The war against Lucifer's angels and mine is what my brother has based Hell off of. By the time I finally cast Lucifer from Heaven and into Hell, a place our ever loving Father created for his son, all of Lucifer's army and half of mine were dead. Two thirds of my brothers were dead because of Lucifer."

Michael concluded his story softly and inside Artemis he looked like a sad child. Finally, looking into Dean's eyes, he spoke again, "You must understand that I cannot let my brother cause that kind of destruction again. If that means in your time I am aggressive, and forward, and my brothers are downright evil then I am sorry, but no one wants to see Lucifer do to your race what he did to ours."

"I'm sorry," Dean told Michael truly meaning it. It didn't matter that his blood worked for Michael, Dean understood how they were perfectly compatible, "I did the trials that would allow a human to speak to God. During them Sam… he was hurting people and I couldn't stop him with words. So I stopped him with force."

"Then you understand. I love my brother, but I must protect humanity and my other brothers so, when the time comes, I will kill him."

"And I will help you," Dean whispered. It wasn't that he had lost his resolve the second time through; it was that Dean finally understood there was no other way. Lucifer wouldn't only keep coming back and keep killing people unless he was ended for good. Only Dean with Michael could end Lucifer so Dean would say yes. Not because of some abstract promise, but because only then can the world be saved.


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"I'm sure you will see me again soon even if it will be millennia for me," Michael told Dean as he sent him back to the future.

Dean crashed into the bunker and looked around for Sam and Charlie. He was still mad as Hell that Charlie proclaimed the prophecy in the first place, but he understood why the prophecy needed to happen. What Dean didn't understand was why Charlie said it. She hated her destiny more than Sam and Dean combined, so why would she make that her destiny in the first place? There was something wrong with Charlie, there was still someone influencing her, and Dean was about to find out what.

"Sam, Charlie, Cas you here?" Dean's voice echoed through the bunker causing Sam and Charlie to appear from the kitchen where they'd obviously been fighting. Charlie looked sheepishly at Dean prepared for him to yell at her too but he instead nodded putting his questions off for a later time. He was in his 30's now; Dean couldn't be an impatient child any longer. At the same time Cas popped from the study where he'd been reading about all things grace related in his failing quest to regain his grace.

"We were just making this sandwich so we could bring up to Chuck in the angel and demon proof room," Sam told Dean.

"Technically only you could bring it to him because the room is warded against 2/3 of the things in me," Charlie replied sounding all too much like your stereotypical teenage girl.

"Fine. I'll join you. I have some questions for our original prophet anyways," Dean told them leading the way towards the room where Chuck was staying safe from angels and demons alike. Charlie lingered outside the door with Cas keeping a distrustful eye on her as Sam and Dean entered the warded rooms.

"He's not here!" Sam cried after a minute, "Chuck! Where are you?"

Dean replied that he couldn't find him either before reappearing in the doorway. To a Charlie who looked very, very, angry and frustrated.

"D*amn you. Why couldn't you do this for me?" she muttered aloud accidently.

"What do you mean?" Cas asked harshly. "Do you know where he is? How did he even get out he would have had to go past me. Do the angels have him again?"  
Charlie shook her head, "I can't… I can't tell you. He's not in any danger, he never was, but… I'm sorry I'd tell you if I could."

"What do you mean he was never in any danger," Sam asked harshly, "I died so we could get him out of danger!"

"Ezekiel never would have hurt Chuck… he couldn't unless Chuck wanted him to. I'm sorry, I can't tell you. He'd be so mad and if he's mad then he won't…" Charlie truly looked apologetic but the boys weren't going to let her wiggle out of this one.

"What does it matter if Chuck is mad at you? I'd be much more worried with us being mad at you and re-locking you in the devil's trap," Dean threatened causing Charlie to look truly terrified and conflicted for the first time.

"Chuck… I can't tell you. You had to have figured it out though. I mean you're smart. All of us are smart. Haven't you figured out who he is?"  
"He's Chuck. Our nerdy, prophet, friend," Sam told Charlie but Castiel looked confused.

"He disappeared. He died. He said he overdosed but… but he never did drugs," Cas muttered. "And you… you can't speak to other prophets in your mind! That's not one of your gifts… yet you spoke with Chuck." The switch flipped in Cas's mind and he looked startled beyond belief. "Oh my."

"Yeah," Charlie said head nodding, "I know."

"I don't get it. Who is Chuck?" Sam asked them.

"Wait…" Dean interrupted, "You spoke that prophecy back there because you said God told you that you would. Yet… before… you said you were just going along with what Chuck's book Mattias said."

"You're getting there," Charlie prompted needing her brothers to get to the conclusion she was forbidden by the voice in her head to speak aloud.

"Chuck… one of the first things he ever said to us was that he must be God for what he writes to come true. He wasn't wrong Chuck… Chuck is God isn't he?"

All Charlie could do was nod her head.

* * *

So, yeah, sort of a bomb to drop on those of you who, like me, were sobbing too hard during Swan Song to see straight and realize Chuck disappeared into thin air... It wasn't until last night when I was only crying a little that I noticed it and discovered that yes, Chuck, is indeed, God... or so his actor said.


	24. Chapter 23

FYI there is a slight hint of Destiel in here so...

* * *

Chapter 23

"But Chuck is… Chuck is Chuck!" Sam stuttered flabbergasted. "He's not… God."

"Yeah. I met God he was all Father Abba-ish not... Chuck," Dean reminded them thinking that Cas and Charlie had to be completely insane to even consider the fact that Chuck could be God.

"Come on. You're going to deny it because of that?" Charlie told Dean like it was the most ridiculous thing in the world. "You do realize He is God and can do whatever the heck He wants. He didn't want you knowing that He had come to you as Chuck to help so, He created a new body in Father Abba."

"If He didn't want us knowing than why do we know? Like you said He's God why didn't He stop you from telling us?" Sam asked.

"He's in to free will. He might not like that I took what He said to do and threw it out the window but He won't stop me because that wouldn't be free will."

"But Cas told us that He was a prophet," Dean said looking over to where Cas stood. Without anyone noticing Cas had sulked away from the group and sat down by the table. "Cas, buddy, you okay?"

Tears welled in Castiel's eyes as he thought of his father. The man who had on many occasions brought him back. The man who gave him the opportunity to meet Dean and Sam in the first place. The man who he had died protecting. Yet, Cas never knew it was him. His father hid from Cas when he searched because all along He was right there in front of them.

Dean went and knelt besides Cas. He whispered something in his ear that Sam missed and Charlie only heard because of her unwanted super hearing. Shifting awkwardly at Dean's words Charlie turned towards Sam hoping that maybe she wouldn't have to hear Cas's reply. Luckily enough she didn't and she only had to bleach her brain once from what she overheard.

Cas, still shaken despite Dean's kind words, rejoined Sam and Charlie with Dean by his side.

"Like it or not Chuck is God. And He won't help us this time because of me. He has some stupid idea that we don't need help because I know exactly what we're going to do even if I have no idea how we're going to do it," Charlie mumbled angrily. Cas looked insulted that she was insulting God but Dean just laughed.

"You call me stupid but you're the one who said that God has a stupid idea."

"Wait," Sam interrupted, "You know what we're going to do? Why didn't you just say so?"

"Because I don't know!" Charlie told him exasperated. "I mean He thinks I know so I guess I do know because you're right he's God and He isn't ever wrong. But I don't know what I know I guess. I mean I have a plan but I doubt it will work so maybe that's what He means…" Charlie was rambling but she had no idea what else to do. God, FREAKING GOD, had told her she knew what was going to happen during the Apocalypse. Yet she didn't know. She was just a 15 year old girl with some serious issues; she didn't know.

"Well, what's your plan?" Cas asked, "Because if He says you know than you know. If your plan is all you've got then well it's all we have too."

"What do you know of Eden?"Charlie asked hesitantly under the boys intense stares.

"Eden? As in the Garden of Eden? Joshua… he mentioned that the garden was sometimes called that," Sam told her but Castiel shook his head.

"The garden is sometimes called Eden, but it's not actually the Garden of Eden. She means the place where Adam and Eve lived until they ate the apple, the place Chamuel forced humanity out of. No human can ever go there again so how does that help us?"

"That's the thing. Eden… technically its entrance in between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq but it's sort of like Heaven. It's not so much a place as an alternate dimension… It's part of Heaven but not at the same time," Charlie explained poorly. Still, Castiel knew things the Winchesters didn't and looked aghast.

"You're not thinking… you are."

"Someone care to explain?" Dean asked.

"Do you know the story of Adam and Eve?" Charlie prompted.

"Of course," Sam told her. "Adam and Eve happily lived in Eden with everything they ever could want. God told them they could eat anything in the garden but the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad. Everything was good until a snake, who is Lucifer, told Eve that she'd be like a god by eating the fruit. Of course she did and she gave some to Adam too so Chamuel tossed them out of Eden and to Earth."

"In short yes," Charlie told them and now Dean caught on too.

"Lucifer was there, in Eden after his fall. It's Heaven, but it's not so Lucifer can go."

Cas nodded gravely, "Lucifer was cast from Heaven and told he could only go to Hell and where the humans he hated were. So, while Eden was Heaven, Lucifer could go there because that was where the people were."

"Interesting history lesson," Dean replied, "But how is this a plan?"

"Don't you get it?" Charlie asked, "Lucifer and Michael are going to fight and only one of them is going to be alive at the end, if either. We're their vessels Dean. If they fight and kill each other in us…"

"You fight and kill each other. It's not just the angel inside you who will die. It's you," Sam told them quietly. Dean cursed not having thought of the fact that when he said yes to Michael he was either going to die, kill Charlie, or both. Most likely both. Killing Lucifer, great, killing Charlie, despite her faults, not so great.

"But it doesn't have to be that way," Charlie told them quickly. "In Heaven they don't need vessels! So if we could somehow open the gates to Eden and make them fight there…no humans would die during the fight and neither would we! It's the perfect solution!"

"Except for the slight fact that Lucifer gets to pick where the battle is. He would never go to Eden because in his angelic body he's less than Michael and in your vessel he's much, much stronger," Cas told them bursting the bubble of hope.

"Yeah… " Charlie agreed, "And the fact that the gates of Eden have been closed for millennium and opening them would be like closing the gates of Hell and casting the angels from Heaven in one day…"

"Great, so basically all we have is a great idea that would never work and no other plan," Sam summarized.

"Basically," Dean agreed making a look of sadness pass on Charlie's face. "Look, Charlie, it's a good idea but… it wasn't ever going to work. I say we revert to the old plan of stalling being vessels until we get a new better plan."

"But we can't stall forever and there is no other option," Charlie told them pleading, "I mean you scoured everything last time to find a way to fight fate and technically you weren't even fighting fate. The only way to stall Lucifer is to put him in the Cage and we can't do that without the rings."

"So we track down the horsemen and make them give the rings up. We did it once we can do it again," Sam told her encouragingly.

Charlie shook her head," Lucifer isn't going to fall for the same trick twice. He's locked the horsemen away so we can't get the rings."

"No offence… but I doubt the rings would work anyways," Cas told Charlie, "It was practically impossible for Sam to win control over Lucifer, he only did it when he was about to kill Dean. You don't have that kind of connection with anyone so there would be no way of breaking the control…"

"None taken," Charlie told him even though it was a lie, "I know Sam is a much better and stronger person than I am. At least he had no way of knowing what he was doing would start the Apocalypse. I knew and pretended I didn't because I didn't want it to be true. Still, while the Cage isn't an option this time, I will need to take control. If we open the gates to Eden, I say yes to Lucifer, and then I make him go into Eden he will be forced to jump out of me and fight there."

"But you just said yourself you can't fight Lucifer for control. I know Charlie what it feels like and it's Hell. He's Hell," Sam told her.

She looked like a desperate child as she replied, "I never said I couldn't fight him off. I said you're stronger. Angels can only possess humans. So, in people like us with part human blood, they're only technically possessing the human part of us. It was the demon blood along with Lucifer trying to kill Dean that let you take control. I might not have the emotional strength you do, but Lucifer can only possess a 1/3 of me. The angel blood won't help me fight him off because if he had an actually body to possess Michael would be a vessel too since the whole Artemis thing was with him. Never mind it doesn't matter. What matters is I have 1/3 of me that will still be unpossesable. It's not much, I know. And he's Lucifer I get that. Still. I think that if you get the gates to Eden open and draw him near them I can take control for that one second to make him go into Eden."

"It's a long shot," Cas told her, "He will expect you to be stronger and he'll hold tighter. You might not be able to do it."

"But I might and it's the only shot we have. Lucifer must die and if we don't want millions to die in the crossfire then this is our only option. I'm opening it up to you. I don't care if I die. Actually, I kind of wish I could just die and leave this mess to you. If you don't think I can take control over Lucifer then we can go the easy route. I say yes to Lucifer, Dean says yes to Michael and we fight right here on Earth. People will get hurt, but then again if we try the other path and I fail everyone will get hurt. It's your choice," Charlie told them.

Sam, Dean, and Cas looked at each other before nodding solemly. They weren't going to just cave now and guarantee millions dead. If there was a chance, even if that chance had dangerous consequences, they'd take it. That was the Winchester way.

"Okay then," Dean told them. "So how in the name of Chuck do we open the gates to Eden?"


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

The Winchesters spent the next week scouring through the Men of Letter's notes looking for something, anything, which could help them open Eden. While Charlie, Sam, and Castiel looked through the library Dean spent time calling every hunter he knew searching for information.

"This is no use," Dean finally told them. "There is nothing here and no one seems to know anything."

"There has to be something," Charlie told him determined to find a solution without any death. "I mean everything, everything, has some sort of reverse switch…"

"What? I know that look," Sam said stepping closer to his little sister, "You just saw something. Does it help us?"

Charlie looked about ready to cry as she shook her head, " It won't help us."

"You had a vision," Cas stated firmly looking into the Prophet's eyes.

"If you had a vision then we need to know what happened in it! Nothing doesn't matter anymore. Whatever you saw we need to know," Dean stated.

Charlie shook her head not wanting to burden her brothers with the truth. Still she knew that they needed to understand what was happening, " It's a wild thing… it doesn't even feel so much like a vision as a thought. I'm not even sure it's right…"

Sam seemed to understand and stopped her with a quick look. The silent conversation that followed was clearly an argument that Charlie won, with conditions. Maybe they had only known each other for a little while, but the deep bond that formed between Sam and Charlie could be seen by anyone. They were so much alike and had done things no one else could understand… like freeing Lucifer.

"Don't get mad," Sam started, "I never told you last time because I thought the notion was crazy and it is. The idea was nuts. For me to actually believe it… yet, now it's happening to Charlie too so I think maybe it isn't so nuts but real."

"I think…" Charlie said with a gulp, " I think I can connect with Lucifer." Shock spread across Dean and Cas's faces as she quickly spoke again. "Not all the time and hopefully he doesn't even know it's happening."

"It happened with me too. I remember thinking of the Croatoan virus for the first time in year and thinking, 'that's what Lucifer will use to end the world.' Then you come back from the future and say that's the plan. I didn't want to scare you any more…" Sam confessed.

"Sometimes," Castiel told them calling on his angel memories, "A vessel will connect with the mind of an angel once the angel has asked them to say yes and they haven't. No one really knows why, it didn't happen often, but with Lucifer I'd imagine he wants you so bad he's accidently projecting his thoughts into your mind."

"Creepy. And Sammy you should have told me. But that's not important," Dean told them causing everyone to be surprised. Usually Dean would be freaking out over something like this. "The think that is important is whatever you think Lucifer just thought. If we can know his plan we might be able to stop him without even fighting in Eden."

Charlie knew that it would come to fighting and stopping Lucifer's plan wouldn't help that but she refrained from pointing it out. Dean was right they had much bigger issues. "You know how the past can't be changed. No matter what time will stay fixed." Everyone nodded and the teenage girl looked nervous as she continued, "There is a way to get around that. If an angel goes back in time and takes a vessel from that time they're effectively connecting the two periods and that angel could theoretically change the past if they're strong enough."

"What's he trying to change?"Dean asked not liking where this was going.

"He's going to go back and change… well you. He wants you to never be born… Sam too. Because if you're never born…"

"We can't say yes to Michael," Dean told her after swearing. "And you're saying he could actually do this?"

Charlie nodded and shook her head at the same time. "It's complicated. By doing this he'd be splitting reality. Everything you've ever done would still have happened but you will cease to exist and from this moment on no one will remember you. Michael would have to use Adam or Mike as a vessel and he'd be guaranteed a win since they're much weaker.

He'll be trying to kill Mary because if John dies then I'm never born and he won't have a vessel."

"Did you get any notion of when he's going back to?" Cas asked

"I don't know why… but he's cutting it really close if he wants Mary dead before you're born. He's going back to January 23, 1979. It's okay though because now we know and I can send us back."

"Sure, you could get us back to 1979, but will you be able to get back to 2013 from there? If Michael hadn't shown up we'd probably still be bunking with Artemis," Dean reminded her. "You were wiped."

"I have an idea," Charlie told them grabbing the Impalia keys. "I'll drive."

"No way" Dean told Charlie stepping in front of the door. "No one drives her but me. Not even Cas has gotten behind the wheel and he's a whole lot more responsible than you."

"Never mind the fact you're not even 16," Sam added.

"Yes I am," she whispered looking over at the crooked calendar. "I turned 16 this morning."

None of the boys knew what to say to her morose tone so with Dean taking a watchful shotgun they slid into the Impala.

Charlie drove with fever. Finally, they reached their destination which turned out to be a church parking lot. As Charlie backed into a parking spot she caught sight of bulging eyes from her companions.

"What?" she asked defensively, "I need some sort of connection to Heaven if I'm going to bend time. Despite… other things I'm still a Prophet.

Charlie without waiting for a response, glided from the old car and into the Church. After a hesitant glance that passed between then Dean joked, "Let's say hi to Chuck." And followed after his sister.

Charlie knelt on the alter looking entirely at peace. Brown hair cascaded down her back and Dean noticed just how much she looked like she did all those months ago back in Jerusalem- before she betrayed her family and freed Lucifer.

"He always hears me," Charlie reminded herself more than them. "Unlike everyone else he promised to never tune me out. Still, when I'm here, he hears me and actually seems to listen. I'll just be a minute if you want to wait in the car."

In all reality the skins were itching to get back in the Impala; none of the boys were exactly thrilled with god. Still, they felt the undeniable need to stay with Charlie in her place of peace for as long as she needed. Taking their places amongst the pews they prayed, or at least talked to God, for the first time in a long while.

Soon, before even Dean had a chance to get fidgety, Charlie stood color returned to her face, "Let's go."

The family joined hands and together they were thrust back in time.


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The quartet landed with a crash in the January snow of long ago. Cas, who'd never been sent back by anyone but himself, would have fallen on the ice if a prepared Dean hadn't stood by to catch him. Even now Cas wasn't so used to the whole human thing.

"I've never been into Lawrence herself before. You'll have to lead from here," Charlie reminded them. She could have found her way, but this was their hometown, their home. It wasn't up to Charlie to lead Sam and Dean home.

"You okay?" Sam asked remembering how unsteady she'd been last time they time traveled.

"Yeah," she told them face taut with confusion, "Actually I've never felt better. That can't be good." Only in the life of a Winchester could feeling good be bad.

"We're on the wrong side of town," Dean told them recognizing his elementary school. "Give me a second I'll hotwire that car."

"When a girl says she wants a car for her sweet 16 she doesn't imagine having to steal it," Charlie joked as she used her powers to bring the car roaring to life. "I'll meet you there." Charlie disappeared with a pop and a startled Sam looked to the others as he spoke.

"I'd actually forgotten she could do that. Why didn't she just go to the church herself and then come pick us up?" No one needed to answer him. They all knew. Charlie just didn't want to be alone.

Everyone knew something was up when Charlie appeared just to have gotten there a half hour later when those who couldn't teleport arrived. Still, they'd decided they had no choice but trust Charlie and if she wanted to talk… she wouldn't shut up.

Dean, who Mary knew best, led the charge up to his door, knocking cautiously a young John opened the door.

"I remember you!" he exclaimed shaking Dean's hand, "You and Sam are Mary's cousins right? It's so nice of you to check up on her. To be honest I think you might be the only family she's got left."

"John. Who is it?" Mary asked waddling towards her husband. When she saw Dean her lips retracted into a pursed position and she addressed her husband," Why don't you give us a second."

"Mary. Let them inside. You should be resting," John fretted.

"I'll just be a minute," she told him firmly. With a shrug he back away from the door and left them alone.

"Mary I know this is a really bad time," Dean began looking down at his mother… and himself.

"No. The first time we met my parents and John end up killed by a yellow eyed demon. Then you bring you hunter buddy Sam and…" Mary trailed off as she tried to remember what Michael erased, "And then I end up with absolutely no memory passed dinner. I don't think I even want to know what happened. My son will be born any day now and this will NEVER be his life. Now leave and don't come back."

"Mary listen. You're in danger," Sam told her but she'd hear nothing of it.

"Go and take you're…. Alice?" Mary noticed Cas and Charlie for the first time. "Alice? Is that you?"

Charlie stepped forward a tear welling in the corner of her eye. "No. I'm not your sister. I… I'm your niece."

"That's not possible! My sister has been dead for years an even if she somehow survived you're far too old to be her daughter."

"It's true," Charlie assured her, "I'm Alice's daughter, Mary Campbell. She named me after you. We're from the future. These are my half brothers Sam, Dean, and our friend Cas."

"Time travel?" Mary repeated dubiously, "That's not possible.. but I guess in the future it is and you can just come back to before it was. Ha! Everyone in the future must have a police box."

This time only the Campbells understood the reference so Charlie made a mental note that if she survived this she would show her brothers that the TV could be used for more than porn.

"Mary. I know you have no reason to believe us. I wouldn't believe us. Yet, Look into my eyes. They're your sister's eyes and they're not lying. You and your child are in danger. If you won't let us help you then you and your son will die before he's even born, tomorrow."

"Who… Why? Why would anyone want to kill me?" Mary asked. Dean couldn't remember ever seeing his mom cry and all he wanted to do was embrace her. Still he couldn't. They were already walking the tight rope telling Mary they were from the future. If she learnt that Sam and Dean were her children it would destroy her. She'd know she was going to die and her children would become hunters everything she never wanted. Even if she knew what would happen it would still happen. Unless you're an angel time doesn't change. Dean, as much as he hated the truth, understood that now.

"Because of this little guy in there," Charlie told her dead aunt gently placing her hand on her unborn big brother.

"What! What will he do?" Mary asked holding him in a protective embrace.

"Save the world." Leave it to a teenage girl and a pregnant woman to get emotional. "He's gonna save the world and over 7 billion people for those he cares about.

"What will he be president?" Mary joked causing Dean to snort with laughter.

"Something like that," Dean told her smiling at the ridiculous notion," Something like that.

Mary stood silent before opening the door and allowing Cas and her family inside. "I'll take care of John. Once he's gone we can talk." When Mary spoke it was clear she spoke to Charlie alone even if they all could hear her words. "John, honey, can you run to the store? I don't have enough food for six and these boys, Dean especially, look like they're as ravenous as our son."

This time none of the future gang could hold their laughter inside.


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

As soon as John left Sam, Dean, Cas, Charlie, and Mary in the living room the fake candor disappeared and Mary went into mamma bear mode.

"Who's after us?"

The future gang looked around silently deciding what Mary should know and what Mary should never know. Charlie, the only one she liked, had been designated as the speaker so when she had her story formed she spoke without a lie. "Hell."

"Is it the yellow eyes demon? Or whoever made me lose my memory last time?"

"Azaziel? No it's not him," Charlie assured her. "And no it's not exactly the same as last time a different individual same species." Mary noticed her niece avoid the word demon and gave a skeptical look. Upon realizing she wasn't getting more she just nodded.

"What will kill them? Silver? Iron? Salt? Exorcism?" Mary asked sliding into her birthright as a hunter.

"None of the above," Dean joked trying to diffuse the mounting tension. He didn't want Mary to know that they couldn't kill the thing after her. You can't kill Lucifer… that is unless you are Michael. You can only get rid of him.

"Don't worry about killing this son-of-a-b*tch," Dean promised. "That's our job. You just need to do as we say… and give birth."

Mary raised an eyebrow at that. "Are you saying I'm going to be giving birth within the next 24 hours?"

Sam nodded. "Fun." Mary replied sarcastically. "So basically you want me to sit around and push while you fight Hell so they can't kill my baby and myself?

"Look, Mary, you never wanted this life we know that. Even if you did want to fight… you're not exactly in any shape to do so. That little guy has plenty of years ahead of him before he has to fight anything," Dean told her with a smile.

"I'm not going to make my son a hunter." Mary replied through gritted teeth.

"He's not saying that," Charlie assured her. "All Dean is saying is you can't fight this battle. You will go into labor around midnight and D.. da baby will be born at 6:17 AM." Cas and the others glared at Charlie as she almost spoke Dean's name. Oops.

"John thinks we're family so we can stay with you. I'll be right besides you the entire time Mary," Dean promised despite the fact he'd then have to watch himself be born. He hadn't been able to protect his mom the night she died, but he was ready now.

"Charlie, Sam and I will wait outside the room. Trust me Mrs. Winchester nothing is going to get inside. Dean's job will be easy."

"Charlie… I'm confused. You said your name was Mary, like me."

"My mother named me Mary. I haven't gone by that name in a long time. There was an accident, supernatural accident. My brother… he died and my mom was blamed. We had to skip town, create a new life. I became Charlie Morganstern there. My mom was reading this book series… Mortal Instruments and that was the first last name that came to mind."

Mary looked softly on the girl before becoming protective of her too, "No way are you fighting with them! You can't be more than 15!"

"I'm 16," Charlie told her annoyed. "And I'm a hunter just like you and my mother were. We age quickly."

"Is Alice happy?" Mary asked thinking of her little sister she thought long dead. "I understand why she ran away. Neither of us wanted this life. But to have her son killed and by something from the world she ran from… Is she okay?"

Charlie didn't want to lie to her aunt, and looked down as she replied, "My mother has never regretted not coming home after she escaped. Though she did miss you dearly."

Sam could hear the sharp intake of breath as she spoke about her mother and Sam realized one more thing they had in common-their mothers died over them. Mary would die going to protect him from Azaziel just as Alice died trying to get her daughter back from the monster she thought had possessed her. No wonder Lucifer wanted them both; they were one in the same.

Mary Winchester was no idiot, she knew that it was highly likely that the thing Charlie wasn't telling her was that Alice was dead. Still, Mary had grieved over her sister's loss long ago and, just because in the future Alice was dead that didn't mean she was dead now. Mary still had a chance to see her sister again before it was too late. For now she needed to protect her son.

"Okay. I. I'm trusting my family's life to you. For your own health I'd suggest not betraying that trust."

It didn't matter that Mary would probably fall over if she tried to fight them. A mother was a mother and a mother was scary for they had everything to lose.

The time span between their conversation with Mary and John getting back was so tense Dean abandoned ship quickly. Sam and Cas followed suit because someone needed to figure out how they'd stop Lucifer. It wasn't like they could kill him and they had no idea how they'd save Mary and baby Dean from a Devil they can't fight.

Mary and Charlie however spent that time lightly sharing stories about Alice. Charlie knew little of her mom's childhood, and it was a photo of Alice at her sweet 16 that made Charlie almost sick with regret. It was her fault her mom was killed by the archangels. Mea Coupa, mea coupa, mae maximus coupa- through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault.

"This is no use!" Dean told Sam and Cas. "We have no internet and no library. We're not going to find anything here we couldn't find in 2013. We're scr*wed and I'm gonna die before I'm even born!"

"At least you will have been conceived," Sam grumbled. "I wish Bobby was here. He'd know what to do."

"Wait… Bobby is here," Cas reminded them. "He hasn't died yet and he's a hunter… only problem is he'll have no idea who you are."

"What was it Dad told us about the first time he met Bobby?" Sam tried to remember.

"He said an old friend of his told him that Dad would need his help in Canton, Delaware 1987. You don't think that's us?"

"Might be. He hadn't seen me in almost 10 years but recognized me right when I came back from Stanford," Sam reminded him.

"Charlie. I need a favor. Do you think you could get us a phonebook for Sioux Falls?" Dean asked interrupting the girls reminiscing. Charlie smiled, happy to get away from the painful memories, and disappeared without thinking causing Mary to have a heart attack.

"Yeah. She does that," Cas told her when she started breathing again.

"But… how? Can you do that too?"

"Nope. That's just Charlie for you. She has some special talents," Sam told her knowing somehow that his mother wouldn't even imagine Charlie as a monster for a second as he had for months.

"Well then. I'm proud to be related to her. You two must be too," Mary asked beaming.

"Something like that," Dean mumbled.

Charlie reappeared minutes later not with a phonebook, but a number written on her hand. "I think I might be the reason Bobby made a panic room…."

"You didn't just pop into his house right?" Dean asked already knowing the answer. Charlie shrugged.

"Well I didn't think about it… I know him so well I forgot he never met me before he died… well I guess he did just now but."

"Great. Now we have double the explaining to do. Thing is this is Bobby we're talking about. He's not just going to listen to some voice on a phone. Sam, Cas. Stay here with Mary. Charlie and I will be back as soon as possible," Dean told them.

"Technically I could bring us back before we even left but since we're not appearing I'm guessing that isn't happening is it?" Charlie rambled. "Come on big brother take my hand. I don't bite… anymore."

"Who the H*ll are you?" Bobby's cool voice, while younger than when he died, was the same as always. Dean and Charlie spun to find a Winchester rifle to their faces. Some things will never change.


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Charlie saw the holy water flying towards them before Dean did and teleported back to Lawrence before she got burned. Dean however got soaked not for the first time, but sadly for the last. How he missed Bobby so much! He needed Bobby, yet Bobby didn't know him, not yet, and he wouldn't until 1987 in Canton. Still, they needed Bobby now because if anyone could help them it was him.

"So if you're not a demon then what are you? God? Vampire? And where did your friend go? I don't know nothing that can do that. No demon I've ever met can teleport."

"Wait until Crowley," Dean muttered. "And I'm human 100% human. See, iron," Dean pulled out an iron blade and cut himself a bit. "Silver too," he did the same.

"You're a hunter? You're a hunter who's hanging out with one of those things? Are you mad?"

"Probably," Dean admitted, "Never met a hunter who wasn't. Charlie isn't that bad though…. Once you get to know her."

"She's a demon! How is she not that bad?"  
"She's not a demon actually. I'll tell you the whole story if you will kindly remove this rifle from my chest."

Bobby looked hesitant so Dean began dropping his various weapons on the floor. Once Bobby was confident there could be nothing left on him he let down his guard.

"My name is Dean Winchester, and believe it or not you will be like a father to me."

"Will be? What's this future tense. You're making no sense boy."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. All I know is you're the best d*mb hunter I've ever met and an even better researcher. My mother and brother along will a whole world of other will die if we can't find a way of stopping this thing."

"What you hunting?"

"Honestly, you wouldn't believe me," Dean told him smiling sadly.

"Try me."

"The Devil."

"You're right you are mad. The Devil ain't real boy. He's just a story from demon Sunday school."

Dean had to chose his words carefully so nothing he said would make what Bobby told them in the future a lie. "Here is the thing you won't believe, I'm from the future. In the future my dad is going to become a hunter. You're going to save his life in 1987 in Canton, Delaware when he's hunting a vamp without knowing they live with others. "

"What kind of *dg*t hunts a vampire without knowing they live in nests?"  
"My dad," Dean told him smiling. "Well from that point on you're going to be there for my brother Sam and me up until the day you die. We need you in a way you will never need us. Now, in the time I come from you're dead."

"Went down fighting I hope," Bobby asked clearly not shaken by the news he was dead. Everyone died someday, and with a hunter it was never of old age.

"You died saving the entire world," Dean would not cry, "And me."

"So say you're telling the truth and you're actually from the future, which you're not. Say you were though. I'm dead and you need my help finding information so you went back in time just to ask me? Why didn't you go back to a time when I knew you?"

"Time travel is hard, even for Charlie. Teleporting is easier for her. We already were in 1979 saving my mom before she could be killed before I was born… I know complicated. I know you don't believe me, but believe this. I'm a hunter and I need help and you're the only person I can think of."

"I might not believe you're from the future. But you're definitely a hunter. Let me see what I can dig up. What's the subject."

Dean hadn't thought about it, but there were two things they needed info on. Lucifer, and Eden. They needed to stop Lucifer and save their mom, but… there was nothing on Eden either, nothing they could find at least. Dead had a choice, and he knew what he had to ask for.

"I need you to see if there is a spell that could open up the gates to Eden."

"Eden? Like Adam and Eve Eden? You sure you're not nuts boy?"

"I'm sure."

"I do not envy you then. It's funny though that you should ask."

"Why?"

"I just found this on my desk this morning," Bobby held up something that was unmistakably a tablet. "It's written in some language. I'd say Enochian if I didn't know better. I can't read it, but I do know two words. Eden and Human."

"Bobby. You are amazing."

"Why what is it?"

"It's the Human tablet. And it's the word of God."

Somehow, maybe because she was a prophet, Charlie knew that it was time to pick Dean up. Without even giving him a chance to say goodbye Dean was whisked away from his beloved Bobby again.


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Dean landed besides Charlie back at his house to discover it was empty. "Sh*t they must have gone to the hospital already. I told them to wait. Come on," Charlie told Dean reaching for her hand.

"Wait!" he hissed. "Bobby just gave me this, can you read it?" Dean held up the Human tablet allowing Charlie to grab it face panic stricken.

"Oh course. I am the Prophet. Bring it with you I'll translate it at the hospital. Your parents, Cas and Sam are already there but they could use the backup. Hospital is crawling with demons."Charlie grabbed her brother's arm before he could protest and together they teleported to the county hospital.

Charlie was right, the place was crawling with demons and the scarier fact was that as they passed them on the way to Mary's room none of the demons attacked Dean or Charlie. They were waiting for the command just like any good soldier… or son.

"Why aren't they attacking us? They should be attacking us," Dean hissed to Charlie as they briskly walked to the maternity ward.

"They're probably biding their times and won't attack us before Lucifer makes his move on your mother," Charlie replied though her tone specified that she was worried too.

"Why is he waiting so long? It's almost 4am; I'll be born in 2 hours."

"Unless he isn't going to kill Mary before you're born…" Charlie mumbled and luckily enough Dean didn't hear her.

Quickly enough they arrived at room 76. Castiel stood outside and Dean still found it amazing to see him loaded with weapons, real, human, weapons. Charlie took her place besides him on the ground. Cas was marveling at the tablet and Charlie, who was much quicker than Kevin, translating it almost seamlessly.

Dean ducked into the room to send Sam out, "Bobby found the Human tablet which will tell us about Eden." Dean whispered to his brother. "Watch Charlie… something is up with her and I'd like to know what."

Sam nodded as he went to guard the door. John sat quietly besides Mary dozing off in his chair. Dean couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger that his dad couldn't stay alert, but reminded himself that this version of his dad wasn't a hunter and didn't know better.

Mary however never looked sharper in her life. Whether this came from her intense contractions or her hunter training Dean didn't know. All he knew, as he took his place in the corner, was that he had Ruby's knife in his pocket. It wouldn't kill Lucifer, or even slow him down, but maybe, just maybe, the future gang could fight off his demons to the point that whatever he was planning wouldn't happen. Still, Dean wasn't confident. They'd lost Jo and Ellen to Lucifer when they had a plan, what would happen when they didn't?

Mary's nurse, who, if Dean remembered correctly, was named Lucy sat on Mary's other side soothingly talking and checking the pain medicine. Mary didn't seem to like the calm tone because her yelling woke John. "You try pushing this thing out and then tell me to remain calm!"

Normally, Dean would have felt bad for hurting his mom, but come on it is kind of funny to watch your mom yelling about giving birth… to you. Who has that kind of opportunity?

Time passed slowly. Occasionally, when Mary's cursing got too weird, Dean would peak his head out the door to see Charlie scribbling furiously and Sam and Cas passing back and forth like guards at the tomb of the unknown soldier. "No demon attacks?" Dean would ask even though he knew Sam would just shake his head. What were they waiting for?

Six am rolled around and Mary's breathing was intense. John kept speaking words of encouragement which only caused Mary to yell back. At one point Mary even turned to Dean, who she'd been pretending wasn't there, and yelled about "First victim of his presidency."- Harsh much?

It might sound interesting… and truly the idea of watching your own birth is incredible. However, watching your mom give birth is not as incredible. Dean couldn't even do anything but watch the door as the clamor increased until finally a blood curdling cry broke through the room.

Dean turned to see Lucy holding baby him. He was so small, so innocent Dean couldn't help but wonder at what point that innocence was lost. Was it when his mom died? When his dad left Dean to raise Sam? Or when Dean started being a hunter. How had such beauty disappeared?

"What a beautiful baby boy," Lucy told a smiling Mary and John. "He looks like an angel."

A glint of menace sparked in Lucy's eyes as she took John and snapped his neck. Mary screamed but no help came. Sam, Charlie and Cas had been overrun by demons and Lucy/Lucifer froze adult Dean in his place.

"Get away from my son!" Mary bellowed reaching towards Lucifer. Lucy laughed as Mary began silently screaming her throat voice box removed and her body paralyzed.

"Dean, Dean, Dean," Lucifer said walking over to the frozen man baby in hand. "So nice to see you again. It's been too long since Stull Cemetery. What a fun day!"

Dean didn't get a chance to reply before a battered and bruised Sam, Cas, and Charlie were pushed through the door by a hoard of black eyed demons.

Lucifer turned from Dean to face the new arrivals smiling like a kid on Christmas. "Castiel!" he greeted. "I heard you were back. Dad's work I presume. He always was such a pain wasn't he?"

"Our Father brought me back for a reason Lucifer, and that reason was to help them stop you," Cas threw back causing Lucifer to laugh.

"And Sammy! So nice to see you again. Let me tell you, boy was Hell boring for Michael and me once you left. Adam just wasn't as much fun. Oh. I forgot my manners," Lucifer smiled like the devil, "I brought you a souvenir."

Reaching into his pocket Lucifer tossed a rusted meat hook to Sam. "You son of a b*tch," Sam snarled despite his terror. Lucifer, the angel who possessed him, who violated him, who made Sam a murderer and then tortured him in Hell was free. And he stood right in front of Sam.

"Oh don't be that way!" Lucy cried. "You do know I'm oh so sensitive. And we had fun, remember? Butchering Azaziel's crew-that was fun!"

Sam, weapon free, charged Lucifer in anger. Lucy just rolled her eyes and sent him flying into a demon's restraint. "Touchy touchy."

Finally, Lucifer turned to Charlie who he'd reserved his most satanic grin for. "Charlie! Charlie my girl it's been a long week. I missed you. All that quality time we spent in the Cage when the doors shut behind you… I know you haven't forgotten."

Terror shone on the teenage girl's face as she remembered Hell and the Cage. Words couldn't describe the horrors she'd faced, the things she'd seen and the things she'd been forced to do. Still, she stood straight as she addressed him. "No. I haven't forgotten."

"Good, good. I'll get back to you but first I have some other pests to deal with. Let's see where was ?. Oh yes. Cas, I'm not even going to bother killing you… Dad would just bring you back… Maybe I'll just oh I know a nice little cage in Hell where you can spend the rest of eternity."

No one could even cry out before Cas was sucked into the Cage. Lucifer laughed hysterically before turning back to Dean, "Sorry about that. I know you had a thing but you know business is business. Don't worry though you won't be around long enough to miss him."

"Why are you doing this? You could have just killed Mary long before the baby was born." Even now Dean was careful with his words so his terrified mother didn't have grief added to her trauma.

"I could of, you're right," Lucifer told them with a shrug, "But that's no fun! I want you to watch as I kill Mary and therefore Sam. I want you to know that pain. Then, I will bleed little baby Dean dry while you watch, fading into nothingness. Then, with nothing left to fight for, Charlotte will stop being such a teenage girl and say yes. I'll kill my brother and my kingdom will rise and overcome humanity."

"No!" Charlie yelled using her own powers to slam Lucifer against the wall.

He recovered quickly and made his way over to his vessel. Gripping Charlie's face tight in his hands he spoke, "You're lucky I don't want to have to heal myself or I'd slap that pretty face of yours."

"No," Charlie told him defiantly. "You're not going to kill Mary. You're not going to kill Sam, and you're not going to kill Dean."

"Oh and tell me Charlotte, how are you going to stop me? You have no rings to throw me back in the Cage, no weapon that will kill me. You are powerful, but all the same you're powerless against me."

"I have one power," Charlie told him and Dean realized too late to stop the events unfolding before him. "I have the power of my word. YES!"

"What did you just say?"

"YES! YES, YES, YES, YES! Jump my bones right here, right now Lucy because I'm saying yes…. With conditions of course."

"Well, that's… surprising. See, here is the thing Charlie… you can take your conditions and shove them up your *ss," Lucifer told her with a crooked smile. "Because I know what your conditions are… free Cas, let you heal John, let these three go in peace… and you know what you have no leverage. I'm going to fight my brother in you, you proclaimed the prophecy yourself. So why accept your yes with conditions when I can let you beg me to use you later?"

Charlie, despite the high stakes smiled, "You could take the risk. I mean sure, maybe the prophecy will remain with me saying yes even with you destroying the part about Dean and Michael… or maybe your meddling with time will backfire and you will be left with a vessel who's never gonna say yes. Your choice."

Lucifer's confidence fell. He knew that meddling with Dean's role in the prophecy could affect Charlie's. What if she was right? What if he didn't take her yes now and never got it again? He'd be stuck in his crap vessel as his brother killed him. Lucifer could not lose; he could not die. Charlie was caving, she was giving into the yes she didn't want to give, yet the little b*tch was still winning.

Glaring Lucifer spoke, "Was I right on your conditions?"

"Fairly," she told him smugly despite the clamor of her brothers trying to stop her and her own hidden terror. "I'd still like to speak them in a binding contract if you would." Lucifer motioned for to go ahead and she looked guiltily at her family as she spoke. "You will free Castiel from wherever you put him and return him, alive and unharmed, to his rightful time. You will let me heal John and Mary Winchester of all injuries along with modify their memories of tonight's events. Then. You will let me send 2013 Dean and Sam back to their rightful time before you take me as your vessel and leave with Mary, John and baby Dean unharmed. Oh and you will take your demons with you."

"So basically all this work I did will go to waste?" Lucifer whined.

"You're getting a vessel out of it," Charlie bit back snarky.

"Fine," Lucifer caved. "You're going to regret playing me when I have full control of your body. Castiel is back in their little bunker."

As soon as the terms were set and binding Charlie set to work bringing John back to life and modifying him and Mary's memories. John wouldn't even remember Dean, Sam, Charlie or Cas. He'd just have a nice memory of a nice, normal childbirth. Charlie gave Mary a gift though, she'd remember the real birth of her child… the ending would just change a bit so she saw Lucy as your normal demon which Dean exorcized.

Dean and Sam had given up on their protests as she went to send them back.

"I'm sorry," she told them.

"You knew. You knew what was going to happen didn't you? That's why you were so weird earlier," Dean accused.

"It wasn't a vision," she told them. "I just knew it was the only way to keep my family alive. The only way to get Lucifer out of a vessel he can do harm in was to force him into me."

"You don't have to do this. There is another way!" Sam pleaded, practically begged.

"Shh," she told them as if she were the parent and them kids. "The deal's done. I can't back out of it. You know what this is Sam. You, better than anyone knows that this is what we have to do."

Furtively, Charlie slid the tablet and notebook into Dean's hunting bag so that not even Lucifer noticed. "He'll know about Eden and the tablet as soon as he gets in me. I translated the best I can but it doesn't make much sense. You'll figure it out don't worry. I believe in you." Charlie whispered in Dean's ear before sending him and Sam flying back in time.

Fully alone Charlie turned towards the devil courageously terrified. "Well. Let's get this over with. Yes."

The blinding light could be seen from miles around as Lucifer and Charlotte became one.


	30. Chapter 29

You two are perfect together... Destiel forever

* * *

Chapter 29

"God d*mn it Charlie!" Dean swore throwing his hunting bag against the wall.

"What just happened?" Cas asked looking battered but none the worse from his short stint in the Cage. "Where's Charlie?"

"She said yes," Dean told him like it was a curse which considering what she'd said yes to maybe it was.

"What!" Cas replied. "Why would she do that?"

"It was the only way," Sam defended remembering the time he'd said yes. It was the only way; it always was the only way. Yet Sam remembered what it was like to have Lucifer inside him controlling his body, but not his mind. The things Lucifer would force Charlie to do… she was just a kid! She was just a kid.

Dean mumbled about having a plan that didn't involve making a deal with the Devil, but even he knew it was a lie. Charlie's way had been the only way even if they didn't like it.

"So what do we do now?" Cas asked breaking them from their thoughts of the horrible things Lucifer would be making Charlie do as they spoke.

"The tablet," Dean remembered opening his bag. Inside he found the tablet had been protected from his throw by a shirt and that the notebook sat inside it. Opening the notebook he saw Charlie's messy handwriting and read.

* * *

Dear Sam, Dean and Cas,

I'm sorry. I had to say yes and you know that. Don't worry about me; I freed him and I will get my punishment. Don't worry okay? I'll be fine. We're Winchesters were always fine. Still… we Winchesters also always think worst case scenario. If somehow the whole Eden thing doesn't work out… there are some things you need to know.

Castiel. I never said it but… I forgive you. I forgive you for playing God. To be honest our dad is a d*ck (though his name is Chuck). I won't lie; you didn't make that great of a god either but… I forgive you okay. Remember that my fallen angel. On the note of Dean… Dean don't you dare read this because you sure as H*ll won't want Cas reading yours. Fine if you're still reading Dean you will regret it. So Cas… Dean is in love with you, you know that? I know you've never gotten romantically involved with anyone, angels don't work like that, but buddy you're not an angel anymore. Take the good with the bad. So when this is all over, if you two are still alive (which I swear on my life you will be) ask Dean out.

Dean… I know you just read the above passage so one: stop blushing. Two: if he doesn't ask you out right after Lucifer is dead then make the first move. You guys are meant to be together. Destiel forever.

You're my brother Dean, you're truly my brother. I love you. You might not have known me all that long, but I've known you since I was a little kid. Dad might be a jerk, but he likes to talk about you. It's really funny to be honest. God himself has a soft spot for Dean Winchester, who would know. There is something else you need to know. Lisa lied-there was never any motorcyclist. Just… keep that in mind when making your conditions with Michael. Ben has your blood.

Sam. I saved you for last because I don't know what to say. You… you understand. You understand what it's like to be a monster, to have demon blood. You understand the baggage that comes with freeing Lucifer. Neither of us meant to do it; we just wanted to make things better. We do make things better, we do. Sam, if I don't come out of this alive… I love you.

And for all you guys. If I die, next time you visit Hell drop by my cell I'd love to chat.

You're the first family I've ever known. Love,

Charlie Morganstern No. That's not my name. Love, Mary Campbell

P.S. If you boys are crying I'm gonna kick your *sses. Don't cry, get to work!

* * *

Tears tempted the boys, but Charlie's terrified banter held them at bay. "We'll save you Charlie. I promise," Sam whispered. Dean and Cas looked embarrassed, but their smile was natural. So, the love does go two ways they'd never known?

"There is her translation here… it seems simple enough though how it will work…," Dean told them with an awkward cough.

Okay guys most of this… well it's just telling how to kill a human. I'm only including the things about Eden in my own words (since I'm obviously the smartest).

The Garden of Eden can only be re-opened when

-Chamuel, the gates guard, has been killed

-The descendent of Eve who plunged the sword into Chamuel must then sacrifice some of their blood on the place where they discovered the difference between good and evil.

-As that descendant's blood falls the serpent that deceived Eve and her husband must tempt the descendant to do wrong against the Lord as his ancestors did before him.

* * *

"That shouldn't be that hard," Dean told them shrugging it off like opening Eden could be done in a days work… which it probably would have to be.

"Only problem is Chamuel is on team Lucifer right? And Lucifer knows the same thing we do. If he kills Chamuel before a descendent of Eve can were scr*w*d." Sam reminded them always the Debby downer.

"Chamuel is not a fool," Cas asserted. "He will have felt the tablet reach the present day and made a run from Lucifer."

"But if Lucifer can't find him with Charlie's working angel radio and his working demon one how are we supposed to find him?" Sam asked once again being the realist.

No one knew so they turned to their sister's final words.

* * *

Revelations…. Only thing you've yet to face. Daughters of the Locus.

* * *

"I do not like the sound of that," Sam told them.

"You shouldn't," Cas assured him shuttering. "They came with the trumpets of the Apocalypse and you definitely should be glad you never got those."

"Well then," Dean told him with a smile, "Let's get to work. I'm sure Lucy is just dying to test out Charlie's limits and locus-women seem just his style."


	31. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Suddenly alarms began blaring. Sam jumped from his chair and checked the computer alarm system to see what Apocalyptic event had started.

"A large abyss deeper than geologists have the tools to measure just opened in the New Mexico desert," Sam informed them.

"Lucifer," Dean told them. "He's testing the limits. Seeing what he can do."

"And we're in trouble. New Mexico desert is about where the locus-women were imprisoned. Lucifer just opened the door to their prison and they're free."

"How bad could they be?" Dean asked, "They're just bugs."

"Just bugs?" Cas repeated, "We're talking 3 of the deadliest creatures alive. The face body of a man, teeth of a lion, face of a woman, hair made of locus. They were created to tear anyone not marked by God to shreads."

"You wouldn't happen to know anyone marked by god would you?" Sam asked even though he knew where this was heading.

"You two…the remaining prophets… the 5 people who bear stigmata. They also won't kill anyone marked by Lucifer since he freed them… so that means demons. They can only be killed by one of the marked using a weapon of god and will keep killing until they are killed."

"Well, good thing Sam and I are marked then so we can kill it."

"Um, Dean. Cas said we need a weapon of God to kill them. Unless you know where we can get one of those we're scr*w*d," Sam reminded him.

"Maybe we can help with that."

The boys would know that voice anywhere. The voice that crept into their nightmares and plagued their waking moments. The voice that once spoke about redemption before stabbing them in the back.

"Hello boys. Miss me?" Crowley asked. He looked the same as he did last time they'd met as he tried to stop them from getting the angels back in Heaven. Yet, in a way, he looked… older? Crowley looked old, and tired and worn. Plus, he wasn't alone.

Dean had assumed the man that stood next to Crowley was just one of his goons until white eyes flashed before them. The man stood about 6 feet tall with curly hair that looked black in the light. The demon had cheekbones so sharp you could cut your hands on them, and his smile had S.E.X. written all over it.

"Hello boys." What was it with high-level demons and possessing Brits?"It's been a very, very long time. I'm sure you have heard all about me from my daughter. I'm Prince Vassagio."

"Oh again with the Prince talk!" Crowley yelled. "I'm the King and once Lucifer is dead I will prove that to all of Hell!"

"You're not Charlie's father," Sam spat at Vassagio ignoring Crowley completely.

"Oh, really?" Vassagio grabbed Sam's face and held it with one hand. Ever protective Dean made a reach for his holy water forgetting that it wouldn't work on a white-eyed demon. Even if the water would have worked Vassagio pushed the hunting bag away from Dean before he got a chance. "I won't hurt little Sammy don't worry." He assured with a sickening smile. "I just want to chat. Sam here doesn't want to believe that I'm Charlie's father because that would make Azazel his. Understandable. I will tell you I was ever so happy to discover you'd wasted him. He always went on and on about how it was unfair that I was the Prince when he did all the work. Typical second to the throne."

The Winchesters had known Azazel was powerful… but second to the throne? And to think they'd wasted him easily.

"Let Moose go Vassagio," Crowley growled. "I like him, he's funny and they won't be as cooperative if we kill one of them. Actually, I don't know about Castiel is this a kill the Winchesters day or no?"

"Leave," Cas demanded though without his angelic power he sounded small.

"No can do Castiel. Nice to see you again by the way it's good to know that my guardian angel has found a new boy to shag. Honest we're just here to strike a deal," Vassagio told them with a charismatic smile.

"You want us to make a deal? With you. What are we nuts?" Dean scoffed. "No thank you."

"And what happened to the civil war Charlie was talking about?" Sam asked.

"It's been… postponed," Crowley told them through gritted teeth.

Dean started to laugh, "Oh I never thought I'd live to see this day! They're scared! The great demon, 'king of Hell' Crowley is terrified."

"Would you fight God for his rule over Heaven," Vassagio asked. They all turned to Cas who, in turn, shrugged. "Lucifer took a weak human from his mud hut and morphed me into what I am. He is our God."

"Fighting this fool for Hell, sure, piece of cake I did it once. But fighting Lucifer… I'd have to be nuts! Only a madman fights the devil."

"So you came to us. We are your madmen," Cas assumed.

Crowley gave Cas a 'you've always been mad to me' look before Vassagio spoke up. "You have an advantage that we need."

"Wait, Say that again," Dean interrupted. "I want to relish in a demon asking for our help for once."

"Dude," Sam revoked. "Perspective."

Vassagio continued like he'd never been interrupted. "You have the advantage of having nothing to lose. Lucifer will kill you no matter what. You fight with him-he kills you. You fight against him-he kills you. You do nothing-he kills you. Us on the other hand… well. I always was his favorite son."

"Look. This place is the only place Lucifer can't see us. He doesn't even realize he can't see us. Charlie's work I'd presume. She made it so even she can't reverse it," Crowley told them still obviously anxious at the thought of Lucifer knowing what they were up to. "Vassagio and I… came to an agreement. We help you however we can. You kill Lucifer. We go back and finish our war."

"How do we know you're not going to scr*w us over?" Sam asked. "You don't really have the best track record."

"Of course we'll scr*w you over," Vasssagio laughed. "First opportunity we get. Still… we happen to have exactly what you need-a weapon of the Lord-only thing that can kill a locus women."

"And like I said before. You've really got nothing to lose. While we, have everything to gain." Crowley reminded them.

Cas turned to the Winchester brothers speaking quietly even though the demons would hear any volume level. "I don't think we can trust them."

"Of course we can't trust them Cas," Dean remarked.

"But I'm not sure what other choice we have," Sam finished. "They have a weapon and we need one-quick. If getting this weapon and killing these locus-women means killing Lucifer… well that was the plan already."

"Fine, you've got a deal," Dean told them. "Give us this weapon of the Lord and we'll make sure your daddy is dead by the end."

Crowley smirked in happiness before pulling, of all people Cas in for a deal sealing kiss.

"Exactly as I imagined," he told them quietly. "Your weapon."

A wooden shepherd staph fell to the ground as the demons disappeared.


	32. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

"The staff of Abel," Cas informed the confused boys, "One of the pickiest weapons of God. No wonder Crowley was so ready to give it away."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked. "And how is a shepherds crook picky?"

"This is the staff of Abel," Castiel repeated like Sam was an idiot. "The first human ever to die was Abel, after his brother Cain killed him out of jealousy. This crook is powerful, invested within is all the power that came with being as connected to God as Abel. However, the staff also tends to not be favorable to those who have the blood of Cain within them."

"And we don't right. So the staff will work for us and only us?" Dean assured even though he already knew what Cas would say.

"Or Charlotte. Even with Lucifer hitching a ride she has no blood of Cain."

"So if Lucifer gets his hands on this he'll not only have his power and Charlie's power, he'll have God's too? Is it even safe to remove from an angel proof room?" Sam worried. Stopping Lucifer would be hard enough; if he had the power of God in his hands who knew what he would do.

"We don't really have an option. Those locus women are tearing people apart and this," Dean held up Abel's staff which felt hot in his hand, "Is the only thing that can stop them."

"Dean is right," Cas affirmed. "We must stop the locus-women."

No one liked the idea of bringing a weapon that would give Lucifer the power of God into public but they had no option. So, without a trusty angel of any sort to teleport them around, the three boys loaded into the Impala and set off towards the locus-women.

"Luckily," Cas told them as they sped towards their destination, "all of God's weapons are the same." A loud snap almost caused Dean to hit a truck as he saw the weapon broken in two.

"What the Hell Cas!" Sam cried yanking the pieces from his hands.

"Don't worry," Cas chuckled. "It's just like the staff of Moses. I could break it into a hundred pieces and it would still work, albeit being 100 times weaker. Breaking it in half won't stop it from killing these monsters."

"Wait," Dean told him. "I might not have ever gone to Stanford like Sammy but I can do basic math. There are three of us and only 2 of those and you don't look like you're gonna break them again."

"It won't work for me," Cas told them shaking his head.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked. "You're an angel… or you were an angel. It's not like you're descended from Cain."

"But Jimmy is," Cas reminded them softly. No one spoke. As much as they were ashamed to admit it Sam and Dean had completely forgotten about Jimmy Novak whose body Castiel had highjack-ed. Yet, it was true. Cas had been an angel that used poor Jimmy as a vessel.

"Whatever happened to him?" Dean dared ask.

Cas looked ashamed as he spoke. "Jimmy's soul remained inside of me until I took the souls from Purgatory. When I sent all the souls back his went through the gate too. I like to hope someone showed him out the human door like they did you but I honestly do not know. I don't even know what would happen to his soul if he got out since I'm stuck in his body."

Castiel's solemn reminder of the damage being a vessel could do quieted the boys for at least an hour of the ride. Around 5 AM the Winchesters plus Cas pulled into an old motel to check on the locus-women location and catch a few hours of sleep. While Cas and Sam snored behind him Dean took his turn on the couch staring restlessly at the ceiling. For some reason their earlier conversation had really freaked Dean out. He wanted to keep his vow to Charlie, but how could he do that? What if they didn't find a way to open Eden? Saying yes to Michael would then roast half the planet! Even if they did get into Eden what was to say the angels would jump from their vessels and fight freely? There were so many things that could go wrong with saying yes to Michael for both Dean and the world. He'd spent so long fighting destiny, how could he now just accept it?

It happened more than he liked to admit, but when he just didn't know, no matter how little faith he had, Dean looked up and prayed.

"Chuck. I don't know if you're listening. Charlie says you don't often. Still. You came as Chuck to help us. You brought Cas back to help us. So you must care. Even if you're as done with the Winchesters as everyone else then you must care, about something.

I need help. Charlie's gone because I failed her. I'm her big brother it's my job to protect her, but I didn't. Maybe it was because of some stupid Prophecy Charlie muttered billions of years ago, maybe because I'm a failure but Charlie got hurt. And I guess that just has to be added to the things I'll never forgive myself for.

So Chuck. If you ever were our friend like you pretended to be. If you ever cared about us, or Charlie, or anyone then please, please give us a hand. Or if you don't want to help us, fine. Just help Charlie. Keep her safe Chuck because she's just a kid and no matter how hard I try I can't see how this isn't entirely your fault. You told her she'd proclaim the prophecy and she believed you. You started this so you better come down here and help us end it.

Please Chuck. Help us or if you won't just help Charlie."

Dean hadn't expected any answer; he never got one. But that night in that moment God must have been feeling like Chuck because a rustle of wind caused a paper to flutter from Charlie's notes.

* * *

9/11/10

I had a weird dream last night. It feels fleeting though, like a prophecy I wasn't supposed to know so I'll write it down. I saw Chamuel, the archangel, being killed by Dean (seriously will that boy get out of my dreams? All I want is a nice David Tennant dream like everyone else.) Anyway. They were in a hospital, and I was there… well not me but you know my meat suit. Why would Dean kill Chamuel and why the Hell were Lucifer, Chamuel, and the Winchesters in Lovelace Women's Hospital in Wildcat territory? Something tells me they weren't all just singing we're all in this together.

* * *

Dean didn't get the reference, but who cared. They were one step closer to opening Eden. Suddenly killing the Locus-women didn't seem so daunting. He'd live through it because he was gonna kill Chamuel.


	33. Chapter 32

So how about Tuesdays episode? Let me just say Ezekiel... if Cas trusts him I don't.

Oh and remember none of these new episodes happened in this even though i can sort of see Tuesday's episode happening... it didn't though because Chuck knows how this Ezekiel arch will work out.

* * *

Chapter 32

"Hundreds of Californian fields have been eaten by loci despite it not being locus season," Sam's voice woke Dean from his reluctant sleep and he opened his eyes to see Cas walk across the room and stare at the computer screen.

"That's them", Cas finally confirmed.

"Cas, have you fought them before?" Dean asked recognizing his friends face of regret.

"A very long time ago I was part of a team set up by Michael for the sole purpose of fighting them," Cas replied hesitantly, " They were Lucifer's fist creations made even before the demons. In the beginning there were 7 of them and a thousand of us. By the end there were more locus-women then angels standing in a leveled forest now called the Sahara."

"So you mean to say that a thousand angels went up against 7 of them and only 2 angels survived? Now the three of us are somehow supposed to kill the rest. Who was the other angel? Any chance he'd help us for a favor?"

"Oh I'm sure he would," Cas responded immediately, " But the price is far too high."

"To high? What could be higher than our lives?" Sam asked annoyed but Dean knew.

"It's Michael isn't it? Michael is the only other angel who survived. He'd help us now, but only if I said yes…. And I can't say yes until we trap Lucifer in Eden or they'll roast the planet."

"D*mn Cas. You fought with Michael," Sam remarked trying to move away from the touchy vessel topic. "How high on the angelic ladder were you to do that?"

"Right below the archangels," Cas confessed offering the boys one of the first insights into his angelic past. "Before I messed up with Vassagio I was Michael's right hand man."

Cas always seemed to know what to say to shut the Winchesters up. They packed and moved out in silence processing the information of how much Cas gave up fighting for humanity. Not only did he lose his grace, his wings, he lost his honor and his status.

When they arrived in California the boys discovered that for once the news had under-exaggerated. Entire vineyards were torn and eaten to the ground.

"Thank Chuck I don't bother with this high-class alchohol. Wine prices are gonna be a b*tch." Sam often wondered if Dean had any sense of perspective or if he knew that it wasn't the time to joke and joked anyways.

Even without his celestial powers Cas had been trained to track the locus-women and found clues where the Winchesters wouldn't have even known to look.

"That's them," Cas deduced as they arrived at a street covered with unconscious women. Crouching besides the closest one he pulled out his blade and prepared to slit her throat.

"Whoa! Cas! What the Hell?" Dean asked jerking Cas's hand just in time.

"Do you know how these creatures work?" Castiel asked the fire of fury dancing in his eyes. "They're like demons but worse. These women are long dead and inside them a new locus-women is forming. Within 24 hours they'll be formidable opponents. Killing them will save countless lives."

No one liked the thought. These new born locus-women had yet to hurt anybody just like the werewolf Kate they'd let go or even Amy Pond's son. They tried so hard to only hurt monsters who had hurt humans. Yet now the boys couldn't take the chance. This was war.

Dean reluctantly released Cas's hand and together the three quickly and brutally butchered the helpless bodies. The entire time they just played the same words in their head-this was war.

Once blood flooded the street and team free-will was done their work Cas led the Winchesters through the desolate town in the direction he knew the locus-women would go-west with the setting sun.

"Where is everyone?" Sam asked as they passed through the third town without a body-living or dead-being seen.

Cas look disgusted as he replied. "The only bodies these creatures leave are the ones they have implanted. They eat the rest."

Just the answer Sam wanted.

Finally they arrived at a half eaten field. Parking the Impala they got out of the car. "Maybe you should stay here Cas," Dean suggested. "You don't have a weapon to kill them and you're not an angel this time. They'll kill you."

"They're going to kill us all one way or another. I might as well go down with you"

A weaponless Cas led the charge into the vineyard maze. They couldn't see the locus-women but in the darkening dusk they knew they were being watched. "Why don't they just ambush us and get it over with?" Sam whispered to Cas who seemed to know these creatures inside an out.

"They're waiting to see if it's just us or if they're others. Even in this body they recognize me as the one who killed their alpha and are weary. They will figure out soon enough that we're alone and attack."

At this point no one was even surprised that Cas had killed the Locus-Alpha even if they were impressed. Someday, if they all lived through the Apocalypse, they'd sit Cas down and get his story. After all he knew everything about them, possibly more.

"This way," Cas told them taking off at a run. "It'll be best to fight them in a clearing where they can't sneak up on us."

There was no reason to run. The locus-women knew that no human could see in the dark, and despite their position of dominance they waited until only the half moon lit the sky.

Rustling vines as lion bodies hit them alerted the waiting hunters to their enemy's arrival. With a nod the three prepared for their impossible fights aware that they might never see each other again.

A crushing blow sent Dean flying away from his comrades as a locus-monster approached. Quickly rising to his feet Dean faced a creature unlike any he'd ever looked upon before. Despite the morbid situation Dean couldn't help but wonder what Lucifer had been thinking as he created these piecemeal creatures. They were hideous but as he moved to attack he realized something else-they were fast.

The three hunters danced with their monsters each suffering major blows. Limping Sam misjudged the creature and ended up dodging to the wrong side. Dean caught sight of his brother pinned under the locus-women and instantly forgot about his own fight. As he dashed to his brothers rescue staff Dean felt a giant lion claw catch his back.

All of a sudden a hundred figures descended upon the vineyard. Light returned to the night and Dean and the others shut their eyes knowing what was to come. When the light died away and Dean slowly opened his eyes he saw the limp lions bodies strewn across the fields and a hundred angels united in a circle around Castiel and the Winchesters. A middle-aged women with short graying hair separated herself from the other angels as he approached team free will hands up in sign of piece.

"Count yourselves lucky. If Michael didn't believe in the prophecy so much and hadn't sent us you'd be dead," she told them without introductions.

"Who are you?" Sam's gruff tone was filled with spite at the angels who wanted to possess his brother.

The angels smiled charismatically as she replied. "I forgot we'd never formally met. Well Castiel I've met but that was a long, long time ago. I am Ruth the guardian." Cas scowled at the sound of the angel's name causing Ruth to laugh softly before continuing. "My job is to protect certain people, usually saints, until their work is done as Heaven foresees it. Michael has asked me to protect you until you either succeed in or give up whatever foolish plan you're working on and say yes."

"I don't need your protection. We've survived fine for years thank-you-very-much," Dean spit back. Who did Michael think he was?

"I can see that," Ruth told them with a chuckle as she looked at the locus-women. "You were fairing so well with these abominations before I stepped in. Never the less Michael has told me to protect you three so I will do my job. Consider me your new angelic liaison since Castiel here seems to need a bell to ring."

"Well why doesn't Michael just give Cas his grace back and we can all go our separate ways," Dean suggested fully in tune to the fact that Ruth seemed to want to spend time protecting the Winchesters about as much as the Winchesters wanted to be protected.

"Michael is… concerned that you're having second thoughts about saying yes and is holding Castiel's grace as a bargaining chip you could say. Now, I must report back into Heaven. Try not to get yourselves killed; I do hate the paperwork."

Ruth and her legion disappeared with a pop. "That son of a b*tch." Dean cursed. "He thinks blackmailing me into saying yes so you can get your wings back will work?" Fury coursed through Dean as he realized it would work. No way could he break his promise to Charlie if it meant Cas would never get his grace back. They were opening Eden and setting things right and that was that. "Come on. I think I know where we can find Chamuel. Maybe we can even get ourselves killed along the way and get that Ruth chick demoted."


	34. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

When they arrived back at the Impala Dean told his brother and Cas the story of finding Charlie's note. "But what is 'Wildcat' territory. Where is this Lovelace Women's Hospital?" Dean questioned.

"There is a hospital going by that name in Albuquerque, New Mexico," Sam informed them having looked it up on his phone.

"What does that have to do with Wildcats?" Dean muttered directing his course towards their only result. No one had any response so they carried on their ride wondering about Charlie's younger days.

"This feels off," Sam stated as the pulled into the hospital parking lot. Anybody else would have thought it was just a normal day. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, but the Winchesters had been doing this long enough to know when something was a trap. As they made their approach to the hospital they discovered what the problem was.

A demon sat at the reception desk not even hiding her black eyes. Around her bodies of pregnant women and newborn babies covered the floor with blood. Moving out of sight quickly the trio silently made their way around to the back door where they found more demons.

"How are we supposed to get in? Lucifer has his goons covering every entrance."

"What's the chance Chamuel is even still alive if Lucifer's in there?" Sam asked his brother.

"No,he's still alive," Castiel confirmed. "I doubt Lucifer has told them this but the death of an archangel will kill any unholy being within a half mile. Every demon in this place will be incinerated. We've still got time."

"Then how do we get in?" Just as Dean finished speaking he noticed the ambulance entrance being opened. "Come on I've got a plan."

The three of them furtively approached the building weapons ready. Two demons were wheeling crates of red liquid into a door guarded by another pair of demons.

"Four demons is less than at the other entrances. We might just be able to fight our way in," Sam assessed.

"Is that… blood they're hauling in?" Dean questioned disgusted.

"And I'd bet my money that it's not from a blood drive," Cas told them face filled with an unknown expression.

"Demon-blood, for Charlie," Sam whispered remembering how many gallons Lucifer had made him consume in the mere hours Sam was his vessel. Charlie had been with Lucifer for days maybe longer if he hadn't just come straight back here from '79. "They must not be here yet and are just preparing it for their arrival."

"Then we better hurry," Dean responded taking off towards the unsuspecting demons.

Blood fell from the trio as they tried to dodge demons and track Chamuel through the hospital labyrinth. "Chamuel will be wherever there are the most demons," Cas's words sent them down a winding hallway they'd seen a group of demons walk.

A door slammed behind them and the Winchesters turned to find a black eyed demon sitting behind a desk.

She was still wearing the same meat suit as the last time the trio met her with the same short black hair framing the 19 year old face.

"Abbadon," Dean growled as he pulled Ruby's knife out. "We should have known you'd be here."

"Sam, Dean, Castiel," her voice was desperate and quiet as she spoke. "I know you have no reason to trust me but I can help you get to Chamuel."

"Why would you ever do that?" Cas accused. "You're one of Lucifer's own knights."

"Isn't it obvious? Even as a knight I'm still a demon and my only allegiance is to myself. Even before that child messed with things I had been forming my army to overthrow Crowley. Crowley and Vassagio- a bit more difficult but easy none-the-less. Lucifer… I wouldn't dare go against him."

"So you think we should just believe that you want to rule Hell and want us to kill Lucifer so you can do just that?" Dean scoffed. "What do you think we are, thick?"

"Trust me, fight me, it's your choice. Still, one will get you a shot at Chamuel and the other…" Abbadon smiled wickedly, "Well after all the pain you've caused me I'd very much enjoy ripping you three to shreds."

The three exchanged a silent conversation. They knew they couldn't trust Abbadon, but fighting her would just lead to injuries and more wandering.

"Okay," Sam agreed with a nod. "Tell us where Chamuel is and we'll pretend this conversation never happened."

Abbadon was about to speak when the intercom on her desk buzzed and Charlie's young voice flooded the room.

"Abby. How come the demon blood isn't here yet? You do know how cranky little Charlotte gets when people are late."

Dean didn't think it was possible, but he hated Lucifer now more than when he possessed and tortured Sam. Charlie was just a kid, she sounded just like one over the com, and Lucifer was riding her like a pony.

"I… I'll check on that immediately sir," Abbadon stammered obviously concerned that Lucifer had heard her betraying conversation.

Lucifer wasn't convinced. "Do the Winchesters have a knife to your neck? Hi boys!"

Abbadon's usual swagger returned to her as she muted the intercom. "Sorry boys… but like I said self-serving. Can't have daddy ground me now can I?"

Before they could even blink their weapons were flung from their hand and Abbadon pressed her fist against a sigil on the wall. "You didn't think there were devil's traps, angel banishing signs, and not a human binding charm? Oh the weaknesses Charlotte read in that tablet." Abbadon pressed the intercom back on. "It works just like you said it would. Should I kill them? I can guarantee you that it will be long and painful."

"No, no… why don't you bring them up and let them enjoy the show. It's been too long since we last met. I want to show them what I'm wearing to prom," Lucifer taunted. Unable to move the Winchesters couldn't even blink as Abbadon ripped the sigil from the wall and carried it in-tact up the stairs with the boys floating behind.

Fury seared inside Dean as he spotted Charlie!Lucifer standing there in a white dress. "Hi guys," he said smiling Charlie's undeniably innocent smiles. How dare he, how dare he. "I hope you don't mind if I don't share. I'm ever so thirsty."

Lucifer swaggered over to the demon blood and chugged gallon after gallon of the blood. It seemed an eternity as the boys watched their little sister drinking the one thing she hated most-her monster blood.

When he was all finished Charlie!Lucifer dabbed the blood dripping from her face with a handkerchief she then flung to the side. "How refreshing. Sorry I know it's rude to drink in front of guests but Charlie was just so thirsty. She says hi by the way."

"You son of a b*tch," Dean yelled through the weakened bond.

"Tisk, tisk," Charlie!Lucifer scolded. "Is that any way to talk in front of your little sis? She's learning bad habits already. I don't think she's stopped calling me that for what has it been… 34 years?" Lucifer smiled brightly at the horrified looks on the Winchesters faces. "See I wanted to give Charlotte a little bit of time to adjust. She made you look like a submissive pup Sam. Oh she fought me for control, but we both knew she wasn't giving it her all. She's saving that for Eden right? Interesting plan, I'll give you that, but I guess it's never gonna work now is it? Abby, bring my brother in."

Abbadon nodded respectfully and left before returning shortly Chamuel in tow. He was wearing the same blond vessel as back in Jerusalem, but even un-aging as a vessel is he looked older, tired. Served him right for being the reason the Winchesters didn't stop this in the first place.

"Brother! " Lucifer greeted. "So nice to see you again. I'd give you kisses but this little ones brothers probably wouldn't appreciate it when you stabbed Charlotte killing the vessel but not her power." Charlie!Lucifer flashed a grin over to the boys when he mentioned that. "You know the Winchesters right? And of course you know our little brother Castiel."

"Brother. We had a deal," Chamuel pleaded. "I help you rise and you repay me by allowing me to live."

"Hmm," Lucifer considered, "I remember my wording being more like, 'in the off chance I'm sent back into the Cage you are to help me rise again and then I will let you walk from this place unharmed. True, I wasn't planning on coming to kill you, we are brothers, but these 4 have pushed my hand. You've been running haven't you? So that means you know of their plan to kill you and re-open Eden. Either way you die. Let's just make it by my hand so the spell can never be completed all right?"

Dean felt and instinctual tug to look over at Abbadon. As he did he noticed a slight wink and then her gaze flashing to the roof where a devil's trap had been drawn. "Hey, Lucy, hi." Dean interrupted causing everyone's hearts to stop. "I know you're all busy with this family reunion you've got going on but quick question for you. Why kill Chamuel when you can just kill the three of us who want to open Eden."

"Very good question," Lucifer's voice sounded just like Charlie did when she was expressing her near-genius IQ to Dean. "You see I'm gonna kill Sam and Castiel, just to teach Charlotte in here a lesson about wording things properly when asking for protection over someone. Still, you I have a very different plan for. No, I'm gonna let you go. The Eden plan will be destroyed and you will say yes to Michael just as Charlotte foretold. We will fight and then, as I kill Michael, you will die."

Despite being a full foot shorter than Sam Charlie!Lucifer looked like a giant as she ran her hand across Dean's unshaven face and gave him a hard slap. Turning his head back towards her a smile was plastered on Dean's face.

"Why are you smiling?" Lucifer demanded.

"Hey, *sshhole. Look up." Lucifer raised his head to the demons trap and smiled.

"Come on. I'm an angel remember. You thought you'd be able to hold the devil in a devil's trap? Come on.

"Oh no. You can't hold an angel in a devil's trap," Dean snarled, "But you can hold Charlie in one. Trust me I'm her big brother. I know just how to ground her."

Now that Charlie!Lucifer was trapped Abbadon smashed the piece of wall holding the boys in place. Jumping from the circle they approached a partially bound Chamuel.

"Come on boys, we can talk this out. Really killing is not the answer."  
"Oh I think it is," Dean told him with a charge to grab the archangel blade. Chamuel however was just free enough to send Dean flying backwards into the angel binding sigil freeing Chamuel completely. The archangel went to disappear and incinerate the hospital with him as Sam took the blade and stabbed him through the heart. Not even Abbadon could smoke out before the archangel's dying light burned across the hospital destroying every unholy being in its path.

With Chamuel dead the Winchesters turned to Charlie!Lucifer still in the devil's trap. "You have no way of killing me!" Lucifer spit. "I have plenty more demons. One of them will find me soon enough."

"Oh, I'm sure they will but by then we will be long gone," Sam told his oppressor with a cruel smile. "I'll see you again soon when I open the gated of Eden. You'll never stop me."

The Winchesters and Cas strolled over the dead demons feeling for once like they just might win this.


	35. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

When they arrived back at the Impala Dean told his brother and Cas the story of finding Charlie's note. "But what is 'Wildcat' territory. Where is this Lovelace Women's Hospital?" Dean questioned.

"There is a hospital going by that name in Albuquerque, New Mexico," Sam informed them having looked it up on his phone.

"What does that have to do with Wildcats?" Dean muttered directing his course towards their only result. No one had any response so they carried on their ride wondering about Charlie's younger days.

"This feels off," Sam stated as the pulled into the hospital parking lot. Anybody else would have thought it was just a normal day. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, but the Winchesters had been doing this long enough to know when something was a trap. As they made their approach to the hospital they discovered what the problem was.

A demon sat at the reception desk not even hiding her black eyes. Around her bodies of pregnant women and newborn babies covered the floor with blood. Moving out of sight quickly the trio silently made their way around to the back door where they found more demons.

"How are we supposed to get in? Lucifer has his goons covering every entrance."

"What's the chance Chamuel is even still alive if Lucifer's in there?" Sam asked his brother.

"No,he's still alive," Castiel confirmed. "I doubt Lucifer has told them this but the death of an archangel will kill any unholy being within a half mile. Every demon in this place will be incinerated. We've still got time."

"Then how do we get in?" Just as Dean finished speaking he noticed the ambulance entrance being opened. "Come on I've got a plan."

The three of them furtively approached the building weapons ready. Two demons were wheeling crates of red liquid into a door guarded by another pair of demons.

"Four demons is less than at the other entrances. We might just be able to fight our way in," Sam assessed.

"Is that… blood they're hauling in?" Dean questioned disgusted.

"And I'd bet my money that it's not from a blood drive," Cas told them face filled with an unknown expression.

"Demon-blood, for Charlie," Sam whispered remembering how many gallons Lucifer had made him consume in the mere hours Sam was his vessel. Charlie had been with Lucifer for days maybe longer if he hadn't just come straight back here from '79. "They must not be here yet and are just preparing it for their arrival."

"Then we better hurry," Dean responded taking off towards the unsuspecting demons.

Blood fell from the trio as they tried to dodge demons and track Chamuel through the hospital labyrinth. "Chamuel will be wherever there are the most demons," Cas's words sent them down a winding hallway they'd seen a group of demons walk.

A door slammed behind them and the Winchesters turned to find a black eyed demon sitting behind a desk.

She was still wearing the same meat suit as the last time the trio met her with the same short black hair framing the 19 year old face.

"Abbadon," Dean growled as he pulled Ruby's knife out. "We should have known you'd be here."

"Sam, Dean, Castiel," her voice was desperate and quiet as she spoke. "I know you have no reason to trust me but I can help you get to Chamuel."

"Why would you ever do that?" Cas accused. "You're one of Lucifer's own knights."

"Isn't it obvious? Even as a knight I'm still a demon and my only allegiance is to myself. Even before that child messed with things I had been forming my army to overthrow Crowley. Crowley and Vassagio- a bit more difficult but easy none-the-less. Lucifer… I wouldn't dare go against him."

"So you think we should just believe that you want to rule Hell and want us to kill Lucifer so you can do just that?" Dean scoffed. "What do you think we are, thick?"

"Trust me, fight me, it's your choice. Still, one will get you a shot at Chamuel and the other…" Abbadon smiled wickedly, "Well after all the pain you've caused me I'd very much enjoy ripping you three to shreds."

The three exchanged a silent conversation. They knew they couldn't trust Abbadon, but fighting her would just lead to injuries and more wandering.

"Okay," Sam agreed with a nod. "Tell us where Chamuel is and we'll pretend this conversation never happened."

Abbadon was about to speak when the intercom on her desk buzzed and Charlie's young voice flooded the room.

"Abby. How come the demon blood isn't here yet? You do know how cranky little Charlotte gets when people are late."

Dean didn't think it was possible, but he hated Lucifer now more than when he possessed and tortured Sam. Charlie was just a kid, she sounded just like one over the com, and Lucifer was riding her like a pony.

"I… I'll check on that immediately sir," Abbadon stammered obviously concerned that Lucifer had heard her betraying conversation.

Lucifer wasn't convinced. "Do the Winchesters have a knife to your neck? Hi boys!"

Abbadon's usual swagger returned to her as she muted the intercom. "Sorry boys… but like I said self-serving. Can't have daddy ground me now can I?"

Before they could even blink their weapons were flung from their hand and Abbadon pressed her fist against a sigil on the wall. "You didn't think there were devil's traps, angel banishing signs, and not a human binding charm? Oh the weaknesses Charlotte read in that tablet." Abbadon pressed the intercom back on. "It works just like you said it would. Should I kill them? I can guarantee you that it will be long and painful."

"No, no… why don't you bring them up and let them enjoy the show. It's been too long since we last met. I want to show them what I'm wearing to prom," Lucifer taunted. Unable to move the Winchesters couldn't even blink as Abbadon ripped the sigil from the wall and carried it in-tact up the stairs with the boys floating behind.

Fury seared inside Dean as he spotted Charlie!Lucifer standing there in a white dress. "Hi guys," he said smiling Charlie's undeniably innocent smiles. How dare he, how dare he. "I hope you don't mind if I don't share. I'm ever so thirsty."

Lucifer swaggered over to the demon blood and chugged gallon after gallon of the blood. It seemed an eternity as the boys watched their little sister drinking the one thing she hated most-her monster blood.

When he was all finished Charlie!Lucifer dabbed the blood dripping from her face with a handkerchief she then flung to the side. "How refreshing. Sorry I know it's rude to drink in front of guests but Charlie was just so thirsty. She says hi by the way."

"You son of a b*tch," Dean yelled through the weakened bond.

"Tisk, tisk," Charlie!Lucifer scolded. "Is that any way to talk in front of your little sis? She's learning bad habits already. I don't think she's stopped calling me that for what has it been… 34 years?" Lucifer smiled brightly at the horrified looks on the Winchesters faces. "See I wanted to give Charlotte a little bit of time to adjust. She made you look like a submissive pup Sam. Oh she fought me for control, but we both knew she wasn't giving it her all. She's saving that for Eden right? Interesting plan, I'll give you that, but I guess it's never gonna work now is it? Abby, bring my brother in."

Abbadon nodded respectfully and left before returning shortly Chamuel in tow. He was wearing the same blond vessel as back in Jerusalem, but even un-aging as a vessel is he looked older, tired. Served him right for being the reason the Winchesters didn't stop this in the first place.

"Brother! " Lucifer greeted. "So nice to see you again. I'd give you kisses but this little ones brothers probably wouldn't appreciate it when you stabbed Charlotte killing the vessel but not her power." Charlie!Lucifer flashed a grin over to the boys when he mentioned that. "You know the Winchesters right? And of course you know our little brother Castiel."

"Brother. We had a deal," Chamuel pleaded. "I help you rise and you repay me by allowing me to live."

"Hmm," Lucifer considered, "I remember my wording being more like, 'in the off chance I'm sent back into the Cage you are to help me rise again and then I will let you walk from this place unharmed. True, I wasn't planning on coming to kill you, we are brothers, but these 4 have pushed my hand. You've been running haven't you? So that means you know of their plan to kill you and re-open Eden. Either way you die. Let's just make it by my hand so the spell can never be completed all right?"

Dean felt and instinctual tug to look over at Abbadon. As he did he noticed a slight wink and then her gaze flashing to the roof where a devil's trap had been drawn. "Hey, Lucy, hi." Dean interrupted causing everyone's hearts to stop. "I know you're all busy with this family reunion you've got going on but quick question for you. Why kill Chamuel when you can just kill the three of us who want to open Eden."

"Very good question," Lucifer's voice sounded just like Charlie did when she was expressing her near-genius IQ to Dean. "You see I'm gonna kill Sam and Castiel, just to teach Charlotte in here a lesson about wording things properly when asking for protection over someone. Still, you I have a very different plan for. No, I'm gonna let you go. The Eden plan will be destroyed and you will say yes to Michael just as Charlotte foretold. We will fight and then, as I kill Michael, you will die."

Despite being a full foot shorter than Sam Charlie!Lucifer looked like a giant as she ran her hand across Dean's unshaven face and gave him a hard slap. Turning his head back towards her a smile was plastered on Dean's face.

"Why are you smiling?" Lucifer demanded.

"Hey, *sshhole. Look up." Lucifer raised his head to the demons trap and smiled.

"Come on. I'm an angel remember. You thought you'd be able to hold the devil in a devil's trap? Come on.

"Oh no. You can't hold an angel in a devil's trap," Dean snarled, "But you can hold Charlie in one. Trust me I'm her big brother. I know just how to ground her."

Now that Charlie!Lucifer was trapped Abbadon smashed the piece of wall holding the boys in place. Jumping from the circle they approached a partially bound Chamuel.

"Come on boys, we can talk this out. Really killing is not the answer."  
"Oh I think it is," Dean told him with a charge to grab the archangel blade. Chamuel however was just free enough to send Dean flying backwards into the angel binding sigil freeing Chamuel completely. The archangel went to disappear and incinerate the hospital with him as Sam took the blade and stabbed him through the heart. Not even Abbadon could smoke out before the archangel's dying light burned across the hospital destroying every unholy being in its path.

With Chamuel dead the Winchesters turned to Charlie!Lucifer still in the devil's trap. "You have no way of killing me!" Lucifer spit. "I have plenty more demons. One of them will find me soon enough."

"Oh, I'm sure they will but by then we will be long gone," Sam told his oppressor with a cruel smile. "I'll see you again soon when I open the gated of Eden. You'll never stop me."

The Winchesters and Cas strolled over the dead demons feeling for once like they just might win this.


	36. Chapter 35

Sorry for not updating lately... school, haunted house, other ...stuff makes it hard to write

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Chapter 35

"It feels wrong, leaving Charlie trapped like that," Sam confessed as the Impala flew down the interstate

"It's not really her, no anymore," Dean rationalized even though the feeling of regret had settled in his heart too.

"But she feels it," Sam whispered, "She's trapped in her own body screaming for help. If he really didn't come straight back from '79..." Sam only remembered a day of being Lucifer's vessel. He couldn't imagine Charlie having to live that for years not even able to fight.

"That's why we have to finish this," Cas reminded them. "Chamuel is dead and we're one step closer to closing Eden."

"So Eden's your plan?" The boys jumped as Ruth popped into the back seat laughing. "Eden. You've got to be kidding me. You should just say yes now and spare yourself the disappointment. It will never work."

"Get out of here Ruth, we don't need your help. By the way, not the greatest guardian angel. Where were you when Chamuel almost ripped us apart?"

"I wasn't concerned," Ruth replied nonchalantly. "And even if I was, even if Michael gave me a direct order I wouldn't have shown up. Going against an archangel, even a fallen one, it's suicide."

"Well, we just survived the fall and we're opening Eden whether you angels like it or not. So help us, or leave," Sam spit back.

"Feisty," Ruth laughed. "Despite your apparent hatred of any angel, no wonder you've let Castiel go graceless for so long, I'm going to help you."

"Why should we trust you not to stab us in the back? Actually, why shouldn't we just stab you this very second?" Dean's fury at the angels and their plans and their deceiving nature and everything about them was being spit out on Ruth.

"Because I don't want to see half the planet get roasted any more than you do!" Ruth remarked. "Look here. There is a reason Michael asked me to protect you and not one of the other guardians who might be a bit more qualified to deal with insolent hunters. He asked me because I spent years in prison for you!"

"You were one of the 36?" Cas asked both astounded and disbelieving. No way could Ruth, of all angels, have been part of that.

"Yes," Ruth replied truthfully, "I was one of the 36 angels who stopped a seal from being broken. A seal that the archangels wanted broken. We were given explicit orders to let Kevin Tran, who was destined to be a prophet, die and we saved him. I did my darndest to save him again this time but it's hard to save someone who'd rather die than live another moment."

"Cas, is she telling the truth?" Dean remarked as if she wasn't even there.

"I don't know. She's not lying about the fact that 36 angels did stop Kevin's from dying but I never knew who those 36 were. Though I doubt Michael would let Ruth out if she was one of them. They disobeyed orders and can't be trusted.

"Michael let me out because he knew you'd trust no angel besides me! I sided with you three the first time because I knew that once Lucifer was free it wouldn't end until he was dead. And killing Lucifer… it would be at the cost of many lives. There was a time when we swore to protect every human life, no matter the cost. I wish I knew where that got lost."

No one doubted Ruth's sincerity because they knew her tone of regret. "Fine. You can help. But one sign of trouble and I have plenty of angel blades around to stab you with." Dean finished with a disgruntled nod.

"So, if we're opening Eden we need to figure out where I discovered the difference between good and evil. Any clue where that could be?" Sam asked to receive a shrug from his friends.

"If I had to make a guess… I'd say it would be your bedroom, in Lawrence. Usually it would be the place you first sinned… but what Azazel did was plant evil inside you. The trials you did, they cleared that evil from you system even without you finishing them, but I still stand by the fact that it would be there." Ruth guessed.

No one liked the idea of going to Lawrence, especially back to that house. Yet, they knew that would be their only option due to the fact that if you're a Winchester the only option is always the one you like least.

The Winchesters found, to their surprise, that Ruth preferred to sit through the long ride and make it very awkward. Finally, Cas, who had made no attempt at hiding his dislike for the angel snapped, "Why don't you go ahead and scout out. Make sure there are no demons waiting to ambush us there."

Ruth rolled her eyes, "Nice try Castiel but you're not getting rid of me that easily."

"Is there something we should know? About you two? Or your past?" Sam asked awkwardly.

Ruth chuckled while Cas looked abashed. "No, nothing like that. I was Castiel's judge, when he allowed Vassagio to be turned into a demon it was I who suggested the punishment of removing him from his post."

"Oh… that makes sense," Sam muttered wishing it had never come up in the first place.

When they arrived in Lawrence Dean turned to his companions. "So it's all good and such that Sam spills his blood up in his room, but isn't that supposed to happen while he's being tempted by Lucifer? How are we supposed to get him here when he knows what we're up to? How do we know he hasn't just sent some demons to finish us off?"

"Now, I could be wrong, they do say there is a first time for everything, but I don't sense any demons," Ruth retorted arrogantly causing Cas to glare at her annoyed.

"Well great, there is no one here to murder us, but that doesn't solve the problem that Dean's right, we're never getting Lucifer here," Sam discouraged. What had they been thinking? How was Sam supposed to open Eden with Lucifer knowing just what they were up to? This entire thing was a waste.

Ruth sighed and everyone grew weary. Angels don't sigh. Granted, Ruth has spent too much time on Earth to be really angel-ly but for her to be sighing it couldn't be good.

"What?" Dean asked.

"We could always summon him," Ruth suggested with a shrug.

"You can't just summon the Devil," Dean scoffed until he looked into Castiel and Ruth's faces. "Can you?"

"You can't," Castiel replied sounding resigned. "But an archangel could."

"Well, unfortunately, we don't have any archangels at our disposal," Sam reminded.

"But we could," Dean whispered. "It's time, isn't it? I can't run anymore?" Ruth's only reply was a gentle nod.

"Dean. Don't. There has to be another way," Cas pleaded with the man who was closer than a brother. "We don't know what this will do to you! It might drive you insane."

"Wouldn't be the first time one of us went down that path," Dean joked his heart not into it. "But I made a promise to Charlie, and if there is one thing I do it's keep my promises."

"You'll be fine." Despite his words of encouragement Sam couldn't help but feel that he was saying goodbye to the brother who once carried him from that very house. If this went sideways, if Sam failed, Dean would die and with him the world.

"See you soon," Dean whispered as Ruth placed her hand on his shoulder teleporting them both away.


	37. Chapter 36

These next few chapters are short, I know, but this chapter is the entire reason I wrote this over 130 page Fan Fic so I kind of wanted it to be separate.

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Chapter 36

"No way," Dean mumbled, "Is this supposed to be some kind of sick joke?"

Ruth obviously thought so because she began to laugh, "We're not being cruel or anything, this is just where the prophecies said you'd say yes."

"And you're afraid that if you take me somewhere else it won't happen," Dean concluded.

"You have to understand. After last time, when you said yes, stabbed Zachariah, and ran, we can't exactly trust you. "

"But last time was different. Then saying yes was condemning millions to death. Now, hopefully, the only one who is getting ganked is Lucifer. And he kind of deserves it."

Ruth's only reply was a nod as she pulled up a chair and sat down. "I assume you have conditions." To Dean's surprise she didn't sound annoyed but more like she was saying he'd be a fool NOT to have conditions.

"So I give you my terms, say yes, and Michael has to follow through with them?"

Ruth leaned in close before responding, "Do you honestly think Lucifer would have let you go if he didn't have to? I'm acting as the middle-man. If you offer up a term Michael can't agree to I will work out a compromise. Agreed?"

Dean nodded. "First things first. Michael isn't getting a piece of me unless he goes straight to Lawrence and summons Lucifer."

Ruth smiled at an unheard comment, "That is acceptable. Anything else?"

"Plenty. Charlie said Ben really is my son. Is that right?"

"While his blood is not 100% Abel he does have enough Winchester in him to be an adequate vessel"

"Michael is to go nowhere near him. I don't care if Ben could save the wold by saying yes. Michael, or any other angel by that matter, is never to ask. And if for some God-forsaken reason he offers they are not to take it. Ben is off limits. Agreed?"

"Michael doesn't like it, but if that is one of your terms he will, of course, oblige."

"Good because I'm not compromising. Now Cas's grace, Michael has it?" Ruth nodded. "He gets it back right away. Full angel privalages."

"Your choice. Though to be honest I think Castiel is enjoying being equal to you."

"Doesn't matter. Michael hands over the vile. If Cas doesn't want to break it that's up to him. "

"Is that it?" Ruth asked starting to get impatient. "We do have an apocalypse to stop."

"Two more. One. Michael leaves me as soon as we get into Eden."

"And what if Sam fails to open Eden?" Ruth sounded more curious than anything else.

"That won't happen," Dean spoke with gritted teeth. "I believe in him."

"I know you don't want to consider it, but getting Lucifer to tempt Sam, even with Michael's help, is next to impossible. I'm trying to help you by closing a convenient loophole."

"Fine," Dean resigned. "If, and only if, Eden is not opened within the week Michael can fight Lucifer on earth with me as a vessel after assuring Cas, Sam, and Charlie Bradbury, Lisa, and Ben are well out of the way. If Michael wins then he leaves me. If he doesn't win… well there won't be much of me for him to leave now will there? So… no problem there."

"Michael says 12 hours for Sam to open Eden. People are dying."

Dean thought for a moment, "24 hours. In case he needs a second chance." They both knew Lucifer would assure that Sam didn't live to have a second chance, but Dean would never admit that possibility. There was no way that after all this Sammy could still die. Not even the Universe could be that cruel.

"You said you had one more condition?"

The final term was, in Dean's mind, the most trivially important one of all, "Michael fixes Charlie."

"You don't think Michael would have forced Lucifer out of Charlie ages ago if he could? Be reasonable Dean there are something even Michael can't do. I don't even know if God could do that."

"You misunderstood. I don't mean get her free from Lucifer. I mean make her human again.

Ruth smiled knowingly, "Unfortunately, that is another thing that not even an archangel can do. Still, I wouldn't worry that much about it. Trust me."

Dean had no idea what she meant but still nodded in reply, "Fine. If he can't fix Charlie at least have him stop ignoring her once this is all over. Between Michael and God ditching her she's going to end up looking to Vassagio as a father figure. Is that what we really want?" Dean hoped Charlie had learned her lesson, but even after all this she was still just a girl who celebrated her sweet 16 days ago. She would make mistakes again, but between Michael and her brothers guiding her hopefully they wouldn't be this big again.

Ruth laughed as she repeated Michael's reply, "He will do his best to guide Charlotte in the future."

"Well then," Dean said taking a deep breath. "Come on you son of a b*tch. Yes!"


	38. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

As soon as Dean left with Ruth, Sam led the way up to his old house and knocked on the door. "Whatever you're selling, we're not buying," a teenage girl said as she swung open the door. "Wait. I know you. You're the guy who killed the ghosts in my closet. D*mn you got hot in 9 years."

Despite the fact he knew how much had changed Sam was shocked to see the little girl he carried away from his burning mother now a young women. Yet, in a way, it reminded him that they didn't do this job to save kids for a day. They do this job to give people lives they otherwise would have missed out on.

"Hi Sari. It's Sam, Sam Winchester. Is your mother home?" Sam received a quick nod and a wide opened door.

"Jenny?" Sam asked stepping into the kitchen.

"Sam. Sam Winchester. It's so great to see you again! Where's Dean? Is there something wrong?" Jenny greeted turning off the sink faucet and drying her hands.

"Um Dean… Dean will be coming soon. This is my friend, Cas," Sam replied trying to avoid the fact that when Dean's body showed up it wasn't going to be his brother standing in front of them.

"Nice to meet you Cas," Jenny said with a wide smile that quickly disappeared. "This isn't a social call is it? I haven't seen you in 9 years and you show up tonight of any day."

"What's so special about today?" Cas pressed.

"It's nothing," Jenny assured but Sari cut her off.

"It's my friend Morgan. She was found trapped in a pentagram or something. The building was full of dead bodies. Then, she disappeared right from police custody."

"Sari, do you have a picture of Morgan?" Sam asked treating her a bit too much like the child he first met.

"Well dawh," Sari pulled out her I-Phone and unlocked it as she handed it over. "That's me and Morgan there."

Sam's worst fears were confirmed when he saw the girl in the picture, "Charlie," he whispered for Cas's benefit.

Sari didn't hear his words. However, Jenny remembered Sam, and remembered his world. "Sari. Why don't you take Rickie to that movie he wanted to see? I'm sure he'd really appreciate you driving him."

Sari rolled her eyes ready to complain about being a taxi when she remembered the dangers they'd faced last time Sam was around. Shivering at the memory she nodded and called her brother to come down to the car.

Once Jenny knew her kids were safely out of the way she pulled out a bottle of whisky, "So. What's really going on? And who is Morgan really?"

Sam bit his lip not sure what to tell her. However Dean!Michael had yet to show up so they had time.

"Jenny. It's hard to explain. Charlie, Morgan as you know her, is our little sister. Well Dean and mines at least. When did you last see Morgan?"

"Well last weekend. You mean to tell me that that girl practically lived at our house and now not only is she in a cult but she's your sister?"

"The girl you saw last weekend… that's not their sister," Cas told her firmly. "It's Lucifer."

"Lu…Lucifer," Jenny choked on her alcohol. "I knew you guys were mad but… Lucifer?"

"It's a very long story but in short Charlie, our sister, was possessed by Lucifer. The only way to stop Lucifer is for Dean to…. Make a deal with the archangel Michael. We need you and the kids to get far away from here so… well so we can summon Lucifer here and hopefully kill him." Sam told her none too gently.

"Lucifer must have known we'd needed to summon him here so he must have been scouting the area out," Cas finished.

"Angels? I mean ghosts were preposterous enough but angels. I just can't believe that."

"The Winchesters didn't want to believe either, but trust me angels are real," Cas confirmed almost smiling at the inside joke.

"I always knew something was up with Morgan… but I never suspected to find out by daughters best friend was the devil," Jenny was trying but her joke fell short and plummeted to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

"Jenny. You should leave. Get as far away from here as possible. If things go south… the entire city might very well be destroyed," Sam urged the girl to get going before either Michael or Lucifer showed. To be honest he wasn't sure which would be worse.

"Right right. Of course." Jenny grabbed her keys and made her way to the door. "Sam. Be careful. And I hope your family turns out alright. Morgan and Dean."

"Thanks Jenny. Now go be with your kids. I'm really glad you got this life… it makes the crap that comes with the job worth it to see you three happy," Sam whispered as the women left her house.

"I wonder if she ever regrets buying this house. You've sure caused her plenty of trouble," Cas noted.

"I'm glad it was her though," Sam remarked. "Not many people would twice trust their house to strangers so they can fight monsters."

Castiel set himself to the task of setting up Sam's old room for Michael to do his thing while Sam wandered the house himself. It was funny how different a meaning this place held for him now. This was the place Azazel infected him with demon blood. This was the place his mother died to protect him. This was the place he sat and ate dinner with his parents for the first time. And this was the place that the Winchesters lived. Last time he was here, in present day at least, all Sam wanted was revenge. Now, all he wanted was the days when revenge was an option because life was that simple.

Sam returned to Cas in his old nursery and stood looking out the window when the street lights went out.

"Michael?" Sam asked.

Castiel nodded grimly. "Yes. Our brothers are here."


	39. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Sam never realized what it was like to watch a loved one possessed. Sure, he'd seen Lucifer!Charlie, but that was different. No matter how much he cared about, even loved, his little sister. No matter how much Sam could relate, Charlie would never be Dean.

Michael looked like Dean, but that was where the resemblance stopped. Dean's walk was casual, confident; Michael walked like he was in a straight jacket. Even if Sam hadn't known what his brother was going off to do one look at Michael!Dean and he would have known. This was not his brother.

"Sam. Castiel," Michael greeted curtly. "I believe this belongs to you."

Sam watched as Cas gingerly took the small silver vile that contained his grace and slid it into his pocket. Michael chuckled while Cas whispered a small thank you meant for Dean. Where ever his mind was.

"You look pained Sam," Michael noted as he stepped towards the wall where a picture of Sari and Lucifer!Charlie hung. "Is something the matter?"

"It's nothing. It's just weird. Seeing Dean like this I mean. When I jumped into the Cage, and pulled you with me, the one good thought as we fell was that at least Dean would be free," Sam confessed.

Michael didn't seem to find it that touching. "That's the one thing Dean is enjoying about this experience. Now you can imagine what it must have been like for him to watch you as a vessel all those times. At least I'm not evil."

"The jury's still out on that one," Cas mumbled.

"I'd watch your mouth Castiel," Michael's eyes flared gold in anger. "You're lucky I didn't smite you the minute I heard what you'd done to Heaven."

"Of don't pretend you didn't out of the goodness of your heart." There was a time when Cas was very, very afraid of his brother. But that time had long since passed. "We both know Dean would never have said yes if you'd killed me."

Michael snorted in reply before turning away from the picture trying to hide the look of guilt on his face. He stepped over to where Cas had prepared the summoning and looked over the supplies. With a nod he turned to the humans.

"For the sake of Dean, I don't think he'd enjoy watching you die. I'd suggest stepping out of the room and covering your ears. There will be a moment when I summon my brother that his true form is visible over Charlotte's vessel and you don't want to be around to see that. Unless you want to regain your grace and help me Castiel," Michael offered. "It would be like old times again then wouldn't it?"

"I'll pass," Cas mumbled stepping from the room. Sam shot a distrustful look at the angel who possessed his brother before stepping into the hallway with a nod. He didn't trust Michael, but he trusted Dean to have set his terms so Michael couldn't stab them in the back, or the neck, or anywhere for that matter.

As Sam covered his ears he could just make out the echoing of Michael's Enochian and the buzzing that came from an angel's true voice. Light spilled from beneath the door and when it finally dissipated Sam, with an encouraging nod from Cas, re-entered.

Lucifer!Charlie stood trapped between two bindings of human, angel and demon origin. Lucifer's greatest advantage in Charlie was also his greatest weakness. Charlie wasn't all angel, or demon, or human. She was Charlotte Morganstern.

"So this was your brilliant plan?" Lucifer asked Sam as he slid in the door. "Have Dean say yes to Michael so he could summon me here? Hello brother, so good to see you again. I say I do like your dress. This prom is going to be SO fun."

"There will be no fight, so just make this easy on yourself. I'm done with doing this just because our father tells us to." No! If Michael wasn't going to fight Lucifer… if he wasn't going to obey God…. "However, I will fight you. I will kill you for what it right. And if you're just going to tell me that 'you don't know what right means' I'm sure Charlotte would gladly tell you."

"Brother you're right we are going to fight." Lucifer told them. "I offered last time for us to resolve this peacefully and you said no. YOU SAID NO!"

"And for that I am sorry brother. But please, let this time go differently. Release Charlotte as your vessel and step down. You can go back to Hell; it's chaos without you. Our father is gone, but we can make things right. You can rule Hell and your demons while I keep Heaven and my angels. We can leave earth in peace. Let this be the Switzerland between our nations. Please. I do not want to fight you."

"Ha!" Lucifer scoffed. "You think that song is going to work on me? You're just scared because you know I'm stronger than you. I'm not going to tempt Sam like I did those fools Adam and Eve. And when little Sammy can't open Eden Dean's time limit will run out. What is it 12 hours? 24? We're going to fight, and when we do I'm going to stab a knife through your heart killing you slowly. And I'm going to make sure Sam is there watching every second of it as his brother dies along with his beloved world. And then I'm not going to kill him. I'm going to lock him up and occasionally, when I'm bored, Charlie and I can come in for a visit." Lucifer stared right at Sam as he continued to threaten. "And you can watch what your sister has become. And then someday when Charlotte's vessel has been drained and you're hopeless I'll turn to you and you can watch as your sister's body explodes from the inside. That will be your fate. Let this be the new prophecy."

"NO!" Sam yelled backing from the shadows and into the moonlight. "You're not going to kill Dean, or Charlie, or Michael, or anybody ever again. Because you failed Lucifer." Ruby's blade, the symbol of Sam's many mistakes, cut across his skin. As the blood slowly spilled on the floor where his cradle once laid Sam finished speaking, "I've been inside your mind. I know your fatal flaw. It's arrogance. You thought you'd won because you never asked me to sin, but you're wrong just as you've always been wrong. Just by standing there you tempt me, you temp me to kill you. And you know what, I guess I get to do just that Lucifer because my sister is strong, and Eden open. Sayonara!"

The floor where Sam's blood had fallen ripped open and a burning light came through. Lucifer's laughter turned to a scream as Charlotte Morganstern, no Mary Winchester, took control over the devil and jumped into Eden.


	40. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Before Lucifer could re-gain control and crawl back out Michael whispered a few choice words and the gates to Eden relocked. He turned to Cas and Sam with an approving nod. "I must go. My brother's days of truancy are over."

"But you just closed Eden. How are Charlie and Dean supposed to get back?" Sam worried. If they'd gone through all of this just to have Dean stuck somewhere again…

"Don't worry. I will arrange for their safe return after the battle is over. You have done well Sam Winchester and while it is not prophesized that we will meet again I hope we do," Michael assured. "Castiel, my brother. Dean is wiser than anyone ever gave him credit for and I understand your reasons for disobedience. If you ever wish to return home I will arrange for you to be my lieutenant once more. Until then let it be known that you helped to save our father's children and any angel who touches you or the Winchesters will face my personal wrath."

Michael vanished with a flash and Castiel and Sam where left to wait for their family's return.

In Eden, Dean felt Michael land their body. Able to be free from his vessel Michael immediately followed through with his promise and released Dean. Shielding his eyes from Michael's true form Dean realized that the ringing no longer hurt and turned to look at Michael for the first time.

Dean never really thought about it, but the reason angels needed vessels was because they weren't exactly corporal. In his true form Michael was just a golden ball of light and power. He looked intimidating and clearly not human, but beautiful and perfect none-the-less.

Despite not having a definite head Dean could see Michael's nod of approval and thanks. Sighing in relief Dean understand the unspoken words Michael told his brother, who was still clinging to Charlie.

"It's no use brother. In this form I am infinitely more powerful than even Charlotte. Release her and let us fight as we did before."

"You'll just win, as you did before," Lucifer said sounding like a pleading child inside Charlie.

"Yes, I will." Michael affirmed not cruelly but with no sympathy for his wayward brother either. "But that was the choice you made when you turned against our family. Release her. I no longer have our Father to help me. This fight will be fairer than the last."

With hope for survival sparking within Lucifer at Michael's deceiving words he released Charlie smoking out in the light of a diamond.

Charlie fell to the ground beneath the angels and, despite the danger of getting hit by the fighting angels, Dean dashed over to his little sister as she weakly tried to crawl away.

"Shh, you're okay. You're fine." Dean comforted the shaking and sobbing girl as he carried her away from the deadly beauty that could be seen as the angel's lights tried to cancel out the others.

While she was still shaking horribly from shock Charlie's eyes cleared so she could watch the dancing angels. For a moment Dean understood where Lucifer had been coming from when he thought angels better than humans. When humans fought it was bloody, but when angels for in their true forms it was good trying to overpower evil seen in an incandescent ribbon.

"They're magnificent," Charlie whispered from the ground where Dean had rested her against his legs. "How can evil be so pretty?"

"There is no evil there," Dean comforted. "Evil does not exist, not really. There is just two siblings trying to do what they think is right. It's no different from when you thought freeing Michael was right and I thought doing the trials was right. They're just siblings on the opposite side of the war."

"He's dying Dean. Shouldn't we stop it?" At first Charlie's words caused Dean panic as he thought she meant Michael was losing. Then Dean realized everything was going as plan; Lucifer was fading. Why was Charlie so upset? "If I'm Lucifer and you're Michael then I'm dying. How is that right?"

Dean didn't even know how to answer so he just pulled Charlie into his chest so she wouldn't have to watch as Lucifer's light when out in a searing blaze.

The world was free. They'd won. Yet looking down at the shattered girl in his arms Dean wondered if this result really caused the least pain in the end.

True to his word Michael, before even grieving for his brother, came towards the vessels.

"Can't you do anything to help her?" Dean pleaded of his almost-friend in Michael.

"I wish I could," Michael, without a vessel, didn't speak with words. None-the-less Dean understood the thoughts floating on the wind. "Only time can heal her soul now. Time and her family."

Dean felt the cool Lawrence air coming through the window to the room Sam and Cas where occupying. Charlie was silent, didn't even protest, and Dean carried the girl into the Impala and settled her on the backseat with her head resting on Sam's lap. As they drove back to the bunker Charlie fell into a restless sleep as Dean described the events of the green room and Eden to his brothers.

"Do you think she will be okay?" Sam asked as he saw just how small Charlie looked in her sleep.

"Were you okay when you got your memories back?" Cas asked, "She wasn't being physically tortured so hopefully her mind isn't broken, but she's seen far more than anyone should."

"She's strong. She'll pull through," Dean muttered through gritted teeth. She would be okay; Charlie would be fine. There just wasn't another option in Dean's mind. Charlie had to be fine.

At the bunker Charlie woke just long enough to ravenously eat some chocolate before settling into bed in one of the unused rooms. "I'm going to stay with her tonight," Sam told Cas and Dean as the boys made their own way to bed. "I know I wouldn't have wanted to be alone."

Dean nodded. Sam was the only one who could even fathom what Charlie was going through. If she woke up he'd be the best one to be at her side.

And Charlie did wake up, but at that point an exhausted Sam had already fallen unconscious. Eyes fluttering open Charlie recognized the dark figure that stood in her room and a weak smile appeared on her face. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you."


	41. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

None of the boys knew what to do when Charlie came sauntering from her room the next morning freshly showered and, while still pail, content. "Charlie… how are you feeling?" Dean finally asked as she hummed while cooking breakfast.

Charlie turned around smile bright on her face, "I feel absolutely fantastic." Charlie released a rattling cough that mitigated her words but smile still showing she continued. "It will take a long time for my body to heal fully… but that's great!"

"Um Charlie. You lost me. How is taking forever to get better good?" Sam asked befuddled.

"Because she's human," Castiel whispered and Charlie nodded vigorously.

"You're human? But… how? Michael implied that only God could do something like that," Dean remarked.

"Perks of being a prophet?" Charlie said with a shrug. "Fine," she told them sitting down as her energy faded. "I'll tell you but you have to promise not to scream. When I was kidnapped and… changed I pleaded with God to fix me. He told me that once my prophecy came true he'd make me normal again… or normal as I can get. Still The Prophet but at least I'm human."

"Did you plan all of this just so you can be human?" Dean asked. Charlie seemed so nice, if misguided. Was she that self-centered she'd let people die to be human.

The look of horror on Charlie's face said no. "Of course not! I honestly didn't know I'd free Lucifer… but once things started to play out like that I might have done everything in my power to make sure you said yes to Michael. Please don't be mad at me!"

Charlie looked so young, so innocent as she begged no one to ground her. Unsure what else to do the boys just shrugged it off.

"I guess it worked out in the end," Dean told her. "Just next time tell us. Okay?"

"Trust me, there's not going to be a next time," Charlie assured. "I'm done. You three can continue hunting, Vassagio and Crowley can duke it out over hell with Abbadon dead. Michael can take charge of Heaven again now that Dean reminded him of his mission to protect humanity. There's still plenty of monsters to hunt, but I'll leave that up to you boys."

"So what are you going to do?" Sam asked. Charlie must know better than to think that you could get out of the life.

"I'm going to become the first women-of-letters," Charlie declared. "I'll learn these books, so I can help hunters. Set up some phone lines-you know one for hunters who need info, one for fake FBI, and whatever. Maybe finish my high school education online… I'm not really sure what I'm going to do with my life and do you know what? I love it!"

The boys smiled at the girl who wouldn't be broken. Maybe they had a lot of cleaning up to do, but with a stable government in Heaven and Hell life could go back to how it used to be before Azazel.

"Now get on your feet you lazy boys! I did some research before I got out of bed and there is a women in white a few towns over. Go!"

The End


	42. Authors Note

Wow... I can't believe this is finally case you're curious like me this is 226 pages... wow.

I began writing this all because I was upset Dean never said yes to Michael and then it just evolved into the story you know see. I can't believe what's happened. I don't care how few views each chapter gets. I don't care I have almost no favorites, or followers, or comments. I love Charlie, I love Supernatural, i love writing and I love this.

In a few months (after I finish the sequel/prequel/ whatever "Mary's Tale") I'm going to edit this and change it. If you have any suggestions for what to change then please comment and let me know. it can only get better if I know what's wrong.

As I say goodbye to this story I'd just like to say thank you if you're reading this. Thank you. And if you love Charlie as much as me check out "Mary's Tale" it revolves around her 100%.

Now I'm sort of ashamed that no one picked up on my name thing... so I guess I just have to tell you.

Charlotte=free

Morganstern= falling morning star

falling morning star=Lucifer

I really hope you enjoyed.


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